#this was fun to do even if i had about three crises in the middle of it

[crystalpallette]

get you a girl who can give you everything

this started a long long time ago when I made a joke about how sega should put ringo in more dresses, and then my friend reminded me that oh yeah!! I can do that instead!!! and then one thing led to another and we joked about punk ringo and I drew that too. using ringo like a dressup doll is so cathartic it's kinda crazy

some bonuses (original designs, timelapse) under the cut bc I like these designs!! I might do some more with them!! please disregard the band poster in the first second of the timelapse that's something else!!!

#everyone look at my girl isnt she so pretty #puyo puyo #ringo ando #my stuff #please look at the timelapse it nicely packages a week of suffering into a minute :) #you cant tell at all from the recording. but all those teeny tiny scallops on ringo's dress? i drew all of those by hand #because the scallop brush i downloaded didnt look right. it never does why do i have that #plus the lace cutouts on the bottom i also drew by hand because i wanted them to look kinda like bunches of apple seeds #but thats not really a thing you can search for- 'lace brush that looks like apple seeds' is wildly specific #there's probably an identical brush to what i painstakingly drew by hand but dont tell me about it i want to think i did that for a reason #punk ringo on top was a lot less work on the lineart bit except for that godforsaken guitar #i had to make sure it looked right and it took forever #but what punk ringo gave me the most trouble with was posing #i knew i wanted an arm out to mirror lolita ringo but thw initial draft was meant to be her holding the guitar the opposite way she is now #(as in her hand was gonna be backwards) #and do you know how hard it is to balance a guitar like that. i had to grab my guitar and do a photoshoot to see what was most natural #while still having leg up arm out #this was fun to do even if i had about three crises in the middle of it #i tried doing my old rendering style again after a while and it was fun too #lolita ringo gave me a bit of trouble in the fact that my brain couldnt handle the dress being shaded but the apples being flat #but we got it lmao. i dont know if ill ever do this again it took too long #but maybe half of the time was because suddenly halfway through everybody needed my help for something or other that required me to leave #anyway wow thats enough rambling. i should go to bed now

[driftwoodmfb]

Since I named all of them, I now will be giving them personalities.

I have the head cannon that at the end of the Amazing Mirror, the four Kirby's didn't fuse back together. This was at first not a big problem, they all four were essentially the same person. As time went on they each started to be their own person. Eventually though, the red, yellow, and green Kirbys kinda had a major identity crises. Pink Kirby would be the closest to the "real" Kirby. The other three felt like copies, fakes, it was horrible. This is what lead to the other three going their sperate ways and changing their names. They still do miss their old friends sometimes...

Although pink Kirby was the one who remained, he too was only a fourth of who they all used to be and he could feel it.

More info about each of them below:

Green Kirby, Kusamochi, Kusa for short, was the first one to leave. He left in the middle of the night not even leaving a note behind. He traveled for some years. He grew out his hair and changed his typical clothing; he didn't want to be seen as Kirby anymore. During his traveling he had some kusa mochi and decided that's the name he'll go with! (he's a kid cut him some slack). Kusa mochi turned into his favorite food and he got really good at making mochi in general, it makes him happy. After some more travelling he ended up back at the mirror and went inside. At some point he found Shadow Kirby and explained to him his situation. He asked Shadow Kirby to not tell Kirby that he is here, which Shadow Kirby agreed to. Kusa now lives in the mirror world and makes mochi for a living, much to Shadow Kirby's delight. Shadow had gain a new friend and a lot of delicious mochi.

Side note: Kusa now calls most of the mirror world residents just by their normal names not adding Dark or Shadow in front of them. Although he still calls Shadow Kirby Shadow sometimes since Shadow Kirby goes by both Kirby and Shadow.

Red Kirby, Kirbo, was the second to leave. He wanted to still protect people, so he declared that he will go to the far side of the universe and defend it since it would be unlikely Kirby would be able to help people so far away. He took him several years to get there, but he made sure to train while traveling. No one that side of the universe knew about Kirby so even though his chosen name was very similar to Kirby, it never was a problem. Kirbo trains at several colosseums and had stopped several being with world ending powers. He pretty much became that side of the universe's Kirby. At some point he gets the ability to open portals for faster travel. (weather it's an ability or an item that does this idk yet). He has a preference to copy abilities that make him look cool.

He went with the name Kirbo because it was an old nickname from when Kirby was younger.

Yellow Kirby, Keeby, was the last to leave. Out of the three, Keeby is the closest to pink Kirby. They still hang out often. Keeby is still very kid like and not much of a fighter. He loves to play games, but doesn't have many people to play with. He originally tried to keep in contact with his friends he made before Kirby was split into four, but it was always awkward whenever they hung out. Keeby still wanted to make others happy so he started to make little games. He ended up making a lot, but no one really knows that he was the one to make them. (my partial excuse for why so many mini games, for example Forgotten Land's tilt and roll, are Kirby themed). He has fun making games and other had fun playing them, it's a win win!

I like the idea of Keeby helping Magolor make one of his theme parks while having no idea who he is.

#kirby #kirby series #kirby headcanon #kirby and the amazing mirror #yellow kirby #keeby #red kirby #kirbo #green kirby #kusamochi #kusa #shadow kirby #skirby #different color kirbys

[cangrellesteponme]

Hmm…maybe #7-12 for a fic of your choosing? 📚

i'm going to be answering these for Howl :)

7: Which character gave you the hardest time writing correctly?

I think no one's surprised to hear that it was, of course, Vanitas. Part of the process of writing Howl was about figuring out what major character flaw could/would/does negatively impact their desired/future/current relationships, so writing Vanitas was hard because I could very easily name over ten, each one as terrible as the next. I kind of had that problem with Domi too, but it all comes back to her being too giving (and her characteristic absence of self), so I easily focused on that aspect (and of course the fic was initially only her part, so i already had a lot of inspiration for her). With Vanitas though... the multifaceted bastard man doesn't ever show the same flaw twice. It was so hard I almost gave up on his part, but ended up just taking a break from it, writing Jeanne's part, and coming back to it. In the end I just went for the "bitter bitch who observes the misery of others and refuses to look at how to get his own shit together" angle, which is something I consider to be a major character trait and flaw Vanitas regularly exhibits, but you can disagree with me on that one.

12: What are some aesthetics/images you often associate with your fic?

Okay, I think anyone who has ever read anything I've written might notice the severe lack of background descriptions. The thing is I write about feelings a lot but I'm not actually fond of the Romanticism movement (think of me as Flaubert, if you will- I know how to do it but I'd rather make fun of it), so I see no point in talking about the environment unless I want to paint a very clear image for the reader- which I don't do a lot, as it would actually undermine my work because I write a lot about confusion, and hazes, and identity crises, and uncertainty... So no full backgrounds in text.

BUT I'm an artist still, of COURSE i have TONS of imagery in my head as I write. And the ones for Howl... delightful.

(This is going to be very long.)

Chapter one, aka dominoé and the bedroom of infinite sexual tension

I didn't take a look at Dominique's actual bedroom while I was writing, so I really just imagined Noé, with his monochrome look (though at this point he's barely dressed), on a red bed, in a red room, plunged in the obvious representation of Domi's feelings yet unaware and unaffected, which would be represented by the lighting which obviously clashes with the intended colour of the room. Basic symbolism aside, I often imagine dominoé interactions with warm, domestic, indoors aesthetics (and a whole lot of red for obvious reasons) so I really just want to give them all the soft beds in the world.

Chapter two, aka Vanitas trying real hard to out-stupid Dominique

The aesthetic is just that one "Mal D'Amour" episode (don't ask me why i remember that name, i don't even know. isn't the english name the incurable disease or something??). It's one of my favourites, of course it haunts me.

Imagine grumpy, frowning, bitchy Vanitas on a double date in the beautiful streets of Paris, just staring at Domi while Noé and Jeanne desperately try to get his attention. All of this with that episode's vibe. Peak comedy, and Vanitas is a whole clown.

(no pics because i cannot be bothered to get screenshots of this one. you've seen the episodes.)

Chapter three, aka Jeanne, haunted by love (and homophobia tbh)

So yeah the general vibe was "no thoughts only Jeanne".

No, seriously, since the whole point of that chapter was Jeanne going "if i think hard enough about how embarrassing vanitas's whole existence is, i can forget how i'm also hopelessly in love with dominique", the whole vision was Jeanne turning and tossing around in her bed in the middle of the night, red in the face, absolutely haunted by the horrors of love. There could've been more of an aesthetic, but I'm gay, and all I had was blushing maiden Jeanne.

Isn't she so pretty though?

Chapter four, aka Noé being very lovely and a little silly

Noé and Jeanne are having a coffee frienddate but by the end of the date the friend part is questionable ngl. Need I say more?

and yeah, that's it for my silly rambling, have a nice day

#my writing process is just chaos and this is further proof #ota's ask answers

[perpetual-stories]

Story Structures for your Next WIP

hello, hello. this post will be mostly for my notes. this is something I need in to be reminded of for my business, but it can also be very useful and beneficial for you guys as well.

everything in life has structure and storytelling is no different, so let’s dive right in :)

First off let’s just review what a story structure is :

a story is the backbone of the story, the skeleton if you will. It hold the entire story together.

the structure in which you choose your story will effectively determine how you create drama and depending on the structure you choose it should help you align your story and sequence it with the conflict, climax, and resolution.

1. Freytag's Pyramid

this first story structure i will be talking about was named after 19th century German novelist and playwright.

it is a five point structure that is based off classical Greek tragedies such as Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripedes.

Freytag's Pyramid structure consists of:

Introduction: the status quo has been established and an inciting incident occurs.

Rise or rising action: the protagonist will search and try to achieve their goal, heightening the stakes,

Climax: the protagonist can no longer go back, the point of no return if you will.

Return or fall: after the climax of the story, tension builds and the story inevitably heads towards...

Catastrophe: the main character has reached their lowest point and their greatest fears have come into fruition.

this structure is used less and less nowadays in modern storytelling mainly due to readers lack of appetite for tragic narratives.

2. The Hero's Journey

the hero's journey is a very well known and popular form of storytelling.

it is very popular in modern stories such as Star Wars, and movies in the MCU.

although the hero's journey was inspired by Joseph Campbell's concept, a Disney executive Christopher Vogler has created a simplified version:

The Ordinary World: The hero's everyday routine and life is established.

The Call of Adventure: the inciting incident.

Refusal of the Call: the hero / protagonist is hesitant or reluctant to take on the challenges.

Meeting the Mentor: the hero meets someone who will help them and prepare them for the dangers ahead.

Crossing the First Threshold: first steps out of the comfort zone are taken.

Tests, Allie, Enemies: new challenges occur, and maybe new friends or enemies.

Approach to the Inmost Cave: hero approaches goal.

The Ordeal: the hero faces their biggest challenge.

Reward (Seizing the Sword): the hero manages to get ahold of what they were after.

The Road Back: they realize that their goal was not the final hurdle, but may have actually caused a bigger problem than before.

Resurrection: a final challenge, testing them on everything they've learned.

Return with the Elixir: after succeeding they return to their old life.

the hero's journey can be applied to any genre of fiction.

3. Three Act Structure:

this structure splits the story into the 'beginning, middle and end' but with in-depth components for each act.

Act 1: Setup:

exposition: the status quo or the ordinary life is established.

inciting incident: an event sets the whole story into motion.

plot point one: the main character decided to take on the challenge head on and she crosses the threshold and the story is now progressing forward.

Act 2: Confrontation:

rising action: the stakes are clearer and the hero has started to become familiar with the new world and begins to encounter enemies, allies and tests.

midpoint: an event that derails the protagonists mission.

plot point two: the hero is tested and fails, and begins to doubt themselves.

Act 3: Resolution:

pre-climax: the hero must chose between acting or failing.

climax: they fights against the antagonist or danger one last time, but will they succeed?

Denouement: loose ends are tied up and the reader discovers the consequences of the climax, and return to ordinary life.

4. Dan Harmon's Story Circle

it surprised me to know the creator of Rick and Morty had their own variation of Campbell's hero's journey.

the benefit of Harmon's approach is that is focuses on the main character's arc.

it makes sense that he has such a successful structure, after all the show has multiple seasons, five or six seasons? i don't know not a fan of the show.

the character is in their comfort zone: also known as the status quo or ordinary life.

they want something: this is a longing and it can be brought forth by an inciting incident.

the character enters and unfamiliar situation: they must take action and do something new to pursue what they want.

adapt to it: of course there are challenges, there is struggle and begin to succeed.

they get what they want: often a false victory.

a heavy price is paid: a realization of what they wanted isn't what they needed.

back to the good old ways: they return to their familiar situation yet with a new truth.

having changed: was it for the better or worse?

i might actually make a operate post going more in depth about dan harmon's story circle.

5. Fichtean Curve:

the fichtean curve places the main character in a series of obstacles in order to achieve their goal.

this structure encourages writers to write a story packed with tension and mini-crises to keep the reader engaged.

The Rising Action

the story must start with an inciting indecent.

then a series of crisis arise.

there are often four crises.

2. The Climax:

3. Falling Action

this type of story telling structure goes very well with flash-back structured story as well as in theatre.

6. Save the Cat Beat Sheet:

this is another variation of a three act structure created by screenwriter Blake Snyder, and is praised widely by champion storytellers.

Structure for Save the Cat is as follows: (the numbers in the brackets are for the number of pages required, assuming you're writing a 110 page screenplay)

Opening Image [1]: The first shot of the film. If you’re starting a novel, this would be an opening paragraph or scene that sucks readers into the world of your story.

Set-up [1-10]. Establishing the ‘ordinary world’ of your protagonist. What does he want? What is he missing out on?

Theme Stated [5]. During the setup, hint at what your story is really about — the truth that your protagonist will discover by the end.

Catalyst [12]. The inciting incident!

Debate [12-25]. The hero refuses the call to adventure. He tries to avoid the conflict before they are forced into action.

Break into Two [25]. The protagonist makes an active choice and the journey begins in earnest.

B Story [30]. A subplot kicks in. Often romantic in nature, the protagonist’s subplot should serve to highlight the theme.

The Promise of the Premise [30-55]. Often called the ‘fun and games’ stage, this is usually a highly entertaining section where the writer delivers the goods. If you promised an exciting detective story, we’d see the detective in action. If you promised a goofy story of people falling in love, let’s go on some charmingly awkward dates.

Midpoint [55]. A plot twist occurs that ups the stakes and makes the hero’s goal harder to achieve — or makes them focus on a new, more important goal.

Bad Guys Close In [55-75]. The tension ratchets up. The hero’s obstacles become greater, his plan falls apart, and he is on the back foot.

All is Lost [75]. The hero hits rock bottom. He loses everything he’s gained so far, and things are looking bleak. The hero is overpowered by the villain; a mentor dies; our lovebirds have an argument and break up.

Dark Night of the Soul [75-85-ish]. Having just lost everything, the hero shambles around the city in a minor-key musical montage before discovering some “new information” that reveals exactly what he needs to do if he wants to take another crack at success. (This new information is often delivered through the B-Story)

Break into Three [85]. Armed with this new information, our protagonist decides to try once more!

Finale [85-110]. The hero confronts the antagonist or whatever the source of the primary conflict is. The truth that eluded him at the start of the story (established in step three and accentuated by the B Story) is now clear, allowing him to resolve their story.

Final Image [110]. A final moment or scene that crystallizes how the character has changed. It’s a reflection, in some way, of the opening image.

(all information regarding the save the cat beat sheet was copy and pasted directly from reedsy!)

7. Seven Point Story Structure:

this structure encourages writers to start with the at the end, with the resolution, and work their way back to the starting point.

this structure is about dramatic changes from beginning to end

The Hook. Draw readers in by explaining the protagonist’s current situation. Their state of being at the beginning of the novel should be in direct contrast to what it will be at the end of the novel.

Plot Point 1. Whether it’s a person, an idea, an inciting incident, or something else — there should be a "Call to Adventure" of sorts that sets the narrative and character development in motion.

Pinch Point 1. Things can’t be all sunshine and roses for your protagonist. Something should go wrong here that applies pressure to the main character, forcing them to step up and solve the problem.

Midpoint. A “Turning Point” wherein the main character changes from a passive force to an active force in the story. Whatever the narrative’s main conflict is, the protagonist decides to start meeting it head-on.

Pinch Point 2. The second pinch point involves another blow to the protagonist — things go even more awry than they did during the first pinch point. This might involve the passing of a mentor, the failure of a plan, the reveal of a traitor, etc.

Plot Point 2. After the calamity of Pinch Point 2, the protagonist learns that they’ve actually had the key to solving the conflict the whole time.

Resolution. The story’s primary conflict is resolved — and the character goes through the final bit of development necessary to transform them from who they were at the start of the novel.

(all information regarding the seven point story structure was copy and pasted directly from reedsy!)

i decided to fit all of them in one post instead of making it a two part post.

i hope you all enjoy this post and feel free to comment or reblog which structure you use the most, or if you have your own you prefer to use! please share with me!

if you find this useful feel free to reblog on instagram and tag me at perpetualstories

Follow my tumblr and instagram for more writing and grammar tips and more!

#writing #writing advice #writing tips #original writing #writers on tumblr #writerscommunity #writersconnection #writersofig #writersofinstagram #writings

[amortentiaboys]

📻  nothing has to change today  🌵

I present to you, an elaboration on @cibeewastaken‘s brilliant post about middle-aged Draco listening to Billie Eilish like the melodramatic git he is!!! (also pls excuse any plot holes/ spelling errors, I wrote this while waiting for my shower to warm up).

Blaise appears in Draco’s flat with a whoosh of green flames, stumbling to keep his footing on the loose fire grate. He keeps nagging Draco to get it fixed, and yet.

He casts a cursory Scourgify on his clothes and straightens, taking a look around the living room. It’s a far cry from the Manor; although elegantly decorated in leather furniture, sumptuous carpets, creams and verdant hues, the worn hardwood floors and the army of plants that Draco insisted on taking under his wing give the flat a warmth that the Manor never had, even when they were children. It’s quiet, quaint. Peaceful.

The sound of a sharp crack at his elbow and a puff of luminous dust draws his attention to a diminutive house elf, wringing her hands and staring up at him with wide, watery brown eyes.

“Sibney is ever so sorry Sir, Master is losing track of time -”

Blaise raises a hand, smiling. “Don’t worry, Sibney. It’s not your fault that Draco has the memory of a Flobberworm. Where’s he hiding?”

The corner of Sibney’s mouth twitches before the a pained expression crosses her face again. She points up at the ceiling. “Master is listening to the Wireless again,” she says solemnly. Now that she’s mentioned it, he can hear the strains of a song floating down the stairs.

Blaise groans. That bloody enchanted Wireless.

“Thank you, Sibney. I’ll check on him.”

He thinks he catches a flicker of relief on her features before she disappears again. Merlin knows how long Draco’s been blasting the thing for.

He heads upstairs.

***

Blaise says nothing as he stands over Draco, waiting to be noticed. Thirty years has evidently done nothing to dull Draco’s penchant for melodrama. This is not news to Blaise, but it is a sight to behold: the prat is sprawled on the bedroom carpet, one hand flung over his eyes whilst the other lies by his side, twitching every so often to replay the same song over and over.

He can’t take it any longer. ''Merlin's beard. Get up, you're scaring the house elves.''

Draco flaps a vague hand in his direction, not even bothering to open his eyes. ''It's fine, they're used to it.''

Sibney peeks around the doorframe and nods her head sagely. ''Master is having the enchanted Wireless on every day, Sir.''

Blaise pinches the bridge of his nose. ''Circe, give me strength. Fine. Fetch us some Earl Grey will you, Sibney?''

The house elf nods, sparing one last pitying (and slightly concerned) look for Draco before trotting off down the hallway.

Blaise sits down on the carpet next to his friend. “She humors you too much. I would have thrown you out onto the street the moment you turned that blasted thing on.”

Draco lolls his head to the side and stares balefully up at Blaise. The years may have etched a few lines around his mouth and grooves between his eyebrows, but he’s still the same melodramatic git that swanned around the Slytherin dormitory and flung himself on Blaise’s (or Theo’s, or Pansy’s) bed whenever he was in a crisis of the heart. “At least someone’s humoring me, with my condition.” 

Blaise blinks, taken aback. He was expecting, as was customary with Draco’s said crises of the heart, a classic Malfoy-esque quip about how of course Blaise wouldn’t have taste when it came to muggle music. It seems he has caught Draco in a very reflective state indeed.

They sit in silence for a while, listening to the girl singing about flying and darkness and love. It all sounds dreadfully morose, but Blaise doesn’t comment on it. He waits silently because Draco seems to be thinking - Merlin knows the prat doesn't do it nearly enough. 

Sibney returns with a tea service and some scones and Blaise dismisses her with a thank you. He sets about halfing a couple of scones, spreading a small amount of butter of jam on one (for him) and monstrous dollops of jam and clotted cream on the other (for Draco). Finally, he decides that Draco's has more than enough time to wallow. 

'Well, spit it out then. What's got you in such a bother you've resorted to sprawling out on the floor and forcing poor Sibney to humor you?”

Draco sighs, still staring up at the ceiling. ''Life is a vale of tears, Blaise.''

''Why, pray tell?''

Another sigh, this one more real. ''Because I'm in love.''

Now that makes Blaise sit up straighter. ''Ah.''

Draco glances sharply at him, eyes narrowed. ''You don't sound particularly surprised.''

Blaise grins like a Cheshire cat. ''I'm not.''  He stands and helps himself to three more scones, shrinking them and squirreling them away in his pockets. ''Well, I'd best be off then.” 

That makes draco sit up, his mouth open in indignation. ''You don't want to know the object of my affections? It could be you!''

''It's not me. Although I know you like them tall, dark and devilishly handsome,” Blaise drawls as he lazily draws a symbol in the air with his wand, watching with mirth as Draco's face pales. ''But I must be off - I have some very important business to attend to.''

Draco scrambles to his feet and narrows his eyes further in suspicion as Blaise begins to back towards the door. ''If you tell anyone else, on pain of death - no stop, Blaise!''

Blaise is still cackling as he Apparates into Pansy's living room. He shouldn't have drawn the lightning bolt but he couldn't help himself. There’s not much time for fun when one is busy plotting and scheming.

“Pansy!”

“Stop yelling, for goodness sake, Hermione’s still asleep -” Pansy stops grousing as she enters the room and sees the glint in Blaise’s eyes. “What?”

“Operation ‘Find Draco Sickeningly-Wonderful Eternal Happiness’ is go.”

Pansy’s face lights up as Hermione stumbles in. “He’s realised?”

“Yep.”

Hermione yawns. “Who’s realised?”

“Draco,” Pansy and Blaise chorus.

It should be scary, the way Hermione instantly snaps to attention, eyes alert and cogs already turning in her head, but all Blaise feels is palpable excitement of epic proportions. This has been years in the making.

“He’s definitely realised?”

“He was listening to Billie Eilish on his bedroom floor, lamenting his seemingly unrequited love,” Blaise says with a knowing smirk at the girls.

Hermione grins.

“Excellent.”

#eeee this was so fun #cheers cibee for a fabulous post/ prompt! #drarry #drarry fic #harry potter #draco malfoy #drarry squad #harry x draco #draco x harry #harry/draco #draco/harry #my fic #fic: ficlets

[transyachi]

thinking out loud

tsukuda maybe likes girls and ito has to (gets to) help her figure it out | 1.5k | read on ao3

“hey, how did you realize you liked girls?” mao asks one day, she’s lying on the floor of ito’s room with her phone lifted up high in front of her face. suo’s just texted her, at length, a description of why the cafe mao told her to try is disgusting and the worst thing ever. she sent a picture of herself gagging. mao had checked recent reviews left on google, suo leaves reviews everywhere she goes, and suo rated it 5/5 stars. mao flips back to the selfie. has she always thought suo's eyes were pretty?

ito, who’s watching the game mao came over to see with her, turns away from the television with a dopey lovesick smile on her face. “oh,” ito says, “remember our first practice game with warabi back in first year? when nozomi came out of nowhere in the second half and took us by surprise?”

what. mao sits up quickly to stare at her best friend, suo’s texts are almost forgotten. “are you kidding me? you’re telling me you fell in love basically at first sight with onda and you didn’t even know you liked girls?!?” mao throws her phone at ito. ito dodges it.

“well, once i met nozomi it was pretty clear,” ito tells her, the mushy smile on her face getting even softer. mao grabs the next closest object - a soccer ball because ito only ever thinks of soccer, food and onda - and throws that at ito. ito catches it easily. “wait,” ito’s smile starts to turn into something mao is not looking forward to, “why are you asking? i thought you were still in love with oshio-kun from middle school?”

mao’s eyes glance towards the abandoned phone before she realizes her mistake and looks back at ito, a chill running down her spine. ito’s lit up and mao launches herself forward, trying to get a head of ito as ito reaches for the phone.

ito gets to it first, of course. and because mao is an idiot and tells ito everything ito unlocks the phones with a password in two seconds flat. “ha!” ito giggles, holding the phone above mao’s head as she goes through their texts, “are you finally ready to talk about your crush on suo?”

mao tackles her to the ground and they wrestle over the phone. mao, motivated by rage and embarrassment, manages to get it back from ito and tries to force ito back into a sitting position.

“okay that’s enough,” mao tells ito. “back to soccer.”

ito makes a face at her but settles back down and lets mao steal her pillow as they go back to watching the game. when it goes to commercials ito starts elbowing her again, and mao feels her resolve crumbling. most of the time mao makes ito sit down and listen to everything she’s thinking of and planning at length, no matter how minor or dumb.

“so she went to the cafe you recommended…” ito tries.

that’s all it takes for mao to decide the teasing and possibility of ito telling their entire soccer team about her dumb maybe crush (extremely probably, has happened before) is worth it. “well…” mao starts, trying to figure out what exactly it is about suo that’s making her act so dumb and leaving her so confused. “um. i checked her review of the restaurant on google and it said she tried the cake i told her to get and she really liked it and will return.”

ito stares at her, unimpressed. mao makes a face at her, “i’m trying! this is new, okay!” ito’s face softens, just a little bit, and mao nods. she slaps herself on her face and nods, refocusing.

“okay so normally we just send each other disgusting and ugly things we see and make fun of each other and i tell her which games she needs to win so we can destroy her but recently she’s also been sending me selfies and i’ve been sending her selfies and we tell each other about our days and our insults feel a lot less mean-”

“were they ever mean?” ito cuts in, under her breath.

“-and i get stupidly excited when she texts but i’ve always been interested when she texts she’s annoying but kind of interesting you know. the kind of interesting you want to destroy, right?” mao takes a deep breath as she finishes and lets herself bury her head in the pillow she stole from ito earlier. ito leans over her and pats her head.

for a moment they just sit there, mao trying to suffocate herself with a pillow and ito not noticing. then mao starts struggling a bit and ito clues in, tearing the pillow away. ito hits her on the head with the pillow and mao sighs and sits back up.

the commercials are over, and ito will be focused on the game and mao starts planning out how to escape the house before ito can make her talk more about her feelings.

it’s not like mao doesn’t like talking about her feelings or people she likes. when she was really into oshio-kun she made ito listen (im)patiently as she clearly and lovingly described his wonderful qualities and his beautiful soccer.

suo takes away all her words. which, alright, mao can understand how that might not be the type of thing someone who doesn’t like girls says, but in her defense suo is evil and still has the video from their first year of mao being too scared to talk to oshio-kun even though it’s been two years and has had way more embarrassing crushes since then.

“you know...” ito says as the team she’s rooting for gets another goal. her voice sounds a little suspicious, but mao trusts ito. “you could take an online quiz.”

“there are quizzes for this?” mao asks.

ito turns to face her, a smile on her face. “yeah,” she says. ito isn’t even watching the game anymore and mao is starting to worry, but lets ito take her phone and bring up an online test. the questions have bad grammar and are in neon text, but mao makes herself answer them all. ito is giggling over her shoulder and this is definitely a joke, but now she wants to know what the answer is.

“wait,” ito says as mao answers a question, “what do you mean you think about kissing girls all the time?”

“uh,” mao says, trying to hide the screen from ito, “sometimes i think about kissing suo. maybe.”

ito hits her with the pillow again. mao ends up running into the bathroom and closing the door behind her to escape ito and her pillow as she finishes the quiz.

huh, mao thinks staring at the screen. she looks up at the ceiling of the bathroom. there are colourful fish decals from when ito and her sisters were little still stuck up there, no one ever bothering to bring them down. she moves to take a picture to send to suo and stops.

“i like suo,” she tests out. it doesn’t sound wrong. it sounds very, very right. she looks back down at her phone screen to see the yes staring back at her. a notification for a text from suo pops up and mao throws her phone across the bathroom. it catches on the shower curtain and slides down into the bathtub.

“hey, tsukuda?” ito calls from the other side of the door, knocking lightly. mao just wants to scream into her bed or let the ground swallow her whole or move to the usa to play on the womens team and forget about the gay crises she’s having in ito’s bathroom.

none of that gets to happen as ito opens the door and mao falls onto her back. she forgot the door was pull not push. ito stares down at her, her expression warm and mao rolls her eyes before putting her hands up and stumbles as ito yanks her up onto her feet. she walks over to the other side of the bathroom and fishes out her phone and ito walks over to her to see what's on her screen. with ito watching, she clicks on the text notification to see what suo sent her.

suo i saw your team lost the game haha LOSER

“huh,” mao says staring at the text, “do you think she’d shut up if i kissed her?”

ito breaks down into laughter, sinking down onto the floor. mao takes a second to think back on what she says and when it sinks in she collapses onto the ground with ito, quickly catching ito’s laughter.

she likes a dumb, rude girl who sends her insults but also goes to the cafes she recommends and checks the score for when mao’s team is playing.

as their hysterical laughter starts to calm down ito reaches out and puts one hand on mao’s shoulder, “i can’t believe it took you three years for you to realize you like suo.”

mao stares back at her, horrified, “what do you mean i’ve liked suo since first year?!”

#sayonara watashi no cramer #farewell my dear cramer #swnc #fmdc #tsukuda mao #ito haruna #suo sumire #r.txt

[quirkswriting]

of cuddles and cold soba

Overview: Sometimes miracles happen and your schedule gives you the chance to spend a lazy afternoon with your best boy, and the two of you navigate your relationship one step at a time. Together. Pairing: Todoroki Shouto x Reader Word Count: 2218 Warning(s): Fluff that will (possibly) rot your teeth. Author’s Notes: It’s soft Shouto hours and I really just wanted to start this blog with something soft and sweet, so I hope you enjoy! (Pro Hero Au!)

***

Pro Heroes don’t really take days off. They’re always at least partially on duty, ready to face off against villains or rescue civilians (or their cats) at a moment’s notice. Technically, yes, they had “days off”, but you could probably count the actual number of real days with no emergencies or crises that either you or your boyfriend were called in to take care of on your two hands.

You were really hoping today was one of those days so maybe you could actually start counting on your toes. You and Shouto had, somewhat miraculously, managed to both have a coinciding day off. You knew he’d been pulling all kinds of long hours with Deku—he’d always text you before he’d fall asleep any time from midnight to four in the morning, and you’d always told him you were awake anyway, but you set a ridiculously obnoxious ringtone for his texts so they’d wake you up and you could ask Shouto about his day and send him wishes for sweet dreams while he complained Deku was hogging the shower in their shared apartment and usually fell asleep waiting for his turn.

So now he had a day off, and after a particularly rough mission a few days prior you’d been given some time off and you were going to make the most of it. You made sure your apartment was clean, warm, and inviting—plenty of snacks and blankets draped across the couch and chair in your living room, and you we’re all ready to order some pizza for you and Shouto so you wouldn’t even have to leave. You could just spend the day together, talking and enjoying each other’s company without having to worry about the press, or paparazzi, or hopefully any villains looking to suck the fun out of your day.

The two of you were still in the semi-early stages of dating. You’d been on enough dates that you’d had the “So… what are we, exactly?” talk, but you had yet to spend a night at each other’s places. Which was fine, really, because you wanted to take your time. You were both very private about your relationship, not even acknowledging it in public as of yet. Which, yes, was something you wanted to do, but you were happy to wait until Shouto was ready. It was his first real relationship, he’d confided in you when you’d first started dating. And you wanted it to be special for him. He was special to you so you wanted to take it as slow as he. He was a private person, super respectful of your boundaries, and honestly how awkward he could be when he wanted to hold your hand or ask permission to give you a kiss was something you were pretty sure would always make you smile and make your whole body tingle. That was just part of who Shouto was, and you weren’t nearly ready to admit it out loud but you loved him for it.

So Shouto came over just after lunch (you suspected Deku turned off Shouto’s alarm and he’d slept until probably about half an hour before he’d come over, which you’d thank the budding Pro Hero for later) with a bag full of containers of cold soba you promptly refrigerated for the time being. He greeted you with a small smile, slipping his shoes off while you pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Did you sleep well?” you asked, and he nodded, leaning against the entryway to the kitchen while you walked back in and bustled about. You had put the soba away and were grabbing two glasses, one for each of you, and took the water pitcher from the fridge and held it up for him to see. He nodded again, and you poured the two of you a drink before you put it back into the fridge.

“Midoriya fell asleep standing up in the shower again,” Shouto told you, and you had to hide a snort behind the sleeve of your shirt before you picked up the glasses of water and handed his glass to him.

“How many times has that been now?” you asked, moving from the kitchen and into the living room. Shouto followed you, and you could imagine the serious look on his face as he thought about it.

“So far this month… three,” he said. You snorted again, not hiding it this time. “Which means I have to wake him up before I can take my shower and go to bed. And Midoriya sleep fights. I thought Bakugo was lying about that.” Shouto sat down at one end of the couch and so you occupied the other, facing your boyfriend.

“Do I want to know why Bakugo knows that?” you asked, and Shouto shrugged. You didn’t press any further because, well, it was Bakugo. You probably didn’t want to know (but you’d ask Deku later anyway).

The two of you passed the afternoon comfortably, talking and catching up on everything you hadn’t talked about via text. You ate some snacks and Shouto ate most of his soba (after making sure he offered you some, though you had a suspicion he was just being polite and you declined anything more than a mouthful and instead watched fondly as he smiled while he ate it himself). You were curled up under your favourite blanket on your end of the couch, while Shouto had your most comfortable pillow in his lap to rest his elbows on while he talked, or to hold loosely in his arms.

At some point you were both hungry for more than just soba and snacks, so you’d ordered pizza for the two of you and had split it while you watched a movie. Not long after the opening credits you’d needed to excuse yourself to the bathroom, which Shouto had barely acknowledged and instead kept his eyes on the television. When you’d come back from your bathroom break, you noticed Shouto was sitting up very straight against the back of the couch, and he’d moved just a little closer to the middle of the couch. He was staring at the blanket you’d been curled up in for most of the day, and you stopped quietly just to watch him for a minute. He reached out for the blanket, hesitant, feeling it under his fingers. He pulled it just a little bit closer to him, staring at the plush material in his grip.

Shouto wasn’t an overly physical person, not as touchy as you were by far, but knew it would happen when he was ready. There was a lot he had yet to open up to you about, and from what he’d told you plus what you’d managed to piece together on your own so far (and from what you knew about his father, Endeavour) you had the idea he hadn’t exactly had a warm childhood. Well, emotionally warm. You were hoping he’d tell you more when the time came, but you were glad the two of you had a talk about making sure you were both ready before you took any steps forward in your relationship. You knew that you’d be ready when he was, hell, you were ready now! But you would be patient. You had to be.

It dawned on you now, seeing Shouto hold the blanket in his hand, that maybe he knew you were ready for the next step. And maybe he wanted to try taking it, too. If you thought about it, you could remember little things. Shouto hovering closer to you than normal while hanging out with Deku and some of his friends. Telling you on his own about the small presents he’d taken to his mother during his last visit. And now this, moving subtly closer to where you’d been sitting on the couch, but not enough to raise concern. You smiled to yourself and made sure to loudly walk back towards the couch. You saw Shouto drop the blanket but he stayed where he was, looking back at the television.

You settled back on the couch, closer to your boyfriend than you had been before, but giving him what you hoped was enough space to breathe. You draped your blanket back across yourself and let some of it hang loose, closer to Shouto, but you didn’t say anything. You just smiled at him and went back to focusing on the movie.

The two of you continued to watch the movie in relative silence for a little while until you could feel Shouto shifting beside you on the couch, and then your right side felt quite a bit warmer. You tried not to tense up too much, waiting for a soft apology and for Shouto to either hastily move over to the other side of the couch or take the opportunity to take his leave for the night. That was what usually happened when things started to get a little too physical and you never pushed it. You waited, eyes on the movie, and counted the heartbeats hammering against your chest. By the time you’d reached about fifteen, you realized your side was still warm and you hadn’t heard anything from your boyfriend. He was stuck next to you, and you dared to glance at him from the corner of your eye. His cheeks were flushed a dark pink and he was looking down at his lap where his hands were folded together. And he was still there. You felt your chest squeeze and you bit the inside of your lip to keep your smile from taking over your face.

If he could be bold then so could you. You moved your arms so one was draped around the back of the couch behind Shouto and one was open loosely in front of him; an invitation to move closer. He scooted closer, his own arms coming to settle around your waist and his cheek on the top of your head as you squished him into a soft hug. His breathing slowed eventually, and you could feel some of the heat leaving the spot where his cheek was resting on the crown of your head and you smiled to yourself. Neither of you said anything, just taking in the moment for what it was. The next step, and Shouto’s trust in you.

By the end of the movie you had no idea whose limbs were whose. Your boyfriend was wrapped around you as you’d somehow come to lay down on the couch. His face was buried in your neck from behind, his soft breaths tickling the sensitive skin below your ear as his chest rose and fell against your back. You were rubbing his arms softly with your hands.

“This is… nice,” he told you, his voice low and muffled against your neck. “I… I like this. I haven’t… I didn’t realize it would be this nice.” There were sentiments he didn’t express, and while they hung unspoken in the air between you now, one day he’d open up and you’d be there to listen and pick up any pieces he needed help keeping together.

“You can come over and we can cuddle any time you want.” You brought one of his hands up to your mouth, kissing his palm softly. You couldn’t see his face but you could feel his body temperature spike significantly. You smiled. “Whatever you’re comfortable with.” He mumbled something and pressed his own lips against the back of your neck.

Your moment was interrupted, however, when Shouto’s phone started vibrating from somewhere behind you and he reached back to grab it from wherever it was. You seriously hoped it was not some horribly timed call to action by his agency. Which, thankfully, it wasn’t. Instead, he told you that, “Bakugo just sent me a photo of Midoriya and he’s sleeping in the shower again.”

“Aw, is it a cute one?” you asked, and Shouto responded by showing you the photo on his phone. It took you a good thirty seconds to register exactly what you were looking at, before your brain realized what was going on and you shoved the phone away. “Oh my GOD SHOUTO HE’S NAKED.”

Your boyfriend huffed. “Yes, (Y/N), he’s in the shower. Do you shower fully clothed?”

You resisted the urge to scream, instead rolling your eyes and covering your face with your hands. “What is wrong with Bakugo?” Before Shouto could even open his mouth you continued, “Don’t answer that.” You could feel Shouto shoving his phone back into whatever pocket it came from before his face was back to resting against your neck. You sighed.

“Something tells me you shouldn’t open any snapchats from him tonight,” he said, squeezing his arms around your waist.

“I hope he gets Detroit Smashed. In his face.” Shouto didn’t bother to hide the small laugh he let out as he probably pictured the same thing you were hoping would happen, and you hoped Bakugo would have at least some kind of bruise from Deku to prove it the next time you saw him. But for now you’d stay here with Shouto, enjoying the feeling of his body pressed against yours and the start of what you hoped would be the first of many cuddle sessions to come.

#Let me know what you think! #todoroki x reader #shouto x reader #bnha x reader #bnha fic #bnha #todoroki shouto #bnha imagines #todoroki shoto #x reader #reader insert #todoroki shouto x reader #todoroki shoto x reader #pro hero au

[transformersrelay]

Mace ropes Weathervane and Shrapnel into a drinking contest, because what better way to befriend his quiet crewmates than with a challenge! He didn’t expect the idealogical crises, though.

“Hey guys!” Mace made entrances, Weathervane had learned. The drone practically burst into the hangar, abandoned by all but the newest recruit and their second-in-command. Shrapnel had been assigned to show him the specifics of the controls first thing, in case there was ever an emergency.

   But Mace didn’t seem to notice or care that they were in the middle of something. Mace slammed his servos on the panel in front of him, making just one of the other two planes jump.

   “I bet you both I can hold the most hi-grade!”

   Weathervane blinked. Shrapnel scoffed.

   “You try this every time, Mace.”

   “Besides, we’re all flyers, so it’s not like you have an advantage? And… you’re the smallest.” The biplane gave a skeptical frown.

   “Oooh newbie~ Prove it,” Mace smirked.

   “For the love of Primus...” the SIC muttered.

   “Uh, but...Why? Would we?”

   “Because! It’ll be fun!”

   Shrapnel and Weathervane exchanged glances.

   “C’mon! Fun?”

   Weathervane laughed nervously. Shrapnel stared.

   “Ugh, fine. I’ll bet you both my entire personal unit stash.”

   That was how the two had found themselves allowing him to drag them along, down to the mess hall. Shrapnel went to fetch the stash of hi-grade he kept stocked; Mace had teased that it was so well maintained precisely for times like this, but the triple-changer had neither confirmed nor denied. The rec room was empty, which served Mace’s plans wonderfully, because his fellow flyers were far too proud to have fun in front of other bots. Primus forbid anyone know they weren’t completely devoid of positive attitudes!

   They sat down with their stack, and each took one cube to start. The larger two swirled theirs hesitantly: Shrapnel out of disinterest and Weathervane looking like he thought his would bite him. Oh, this would be like taking Energon treats from sparklings! Mace, with a wicked grin, slammed his down without warning, sticking his tongue out with his empty cube on display. That earned him a couple of competitive frowns.

   “Well? I’m winning so far!”

   “We just started-- don’t reach for another. Primus,” Shrapnel grumbled, drinking his own just as quickly. “Your big mouth is cheating!” and moving to keep pace. Mace was already mostly through with his second.

   “Weathervane, are you trying to be slow?”

   “No,” he snapped defensively, trying to take a big gulp and not making much progress. “Shut up, Mace, you’re so going down.” He tried to drink more and scowled.

   “Don’t tell me you don’t like hi-grade,” Shrapnel said.

   “I do! I’m just not used to it, okay?”

   “Should’ve been built a Seeker frame,” Mace teased.

   “Oh, well gee, thanks Mace, I’d never considered that,” he huffed, forcing the contents of his drink down with finality. “Hand me another damn cube.”

   Mace happily did so, grabbing himself another too. Shrapnel was keeping up, at least.

   “Don’t you do this with Bumper all day instead of making yourself useful?” Shrapnel mused, clearly not ready to leave Weathervane alone. “I’d think you an expert solely by keeping his company.”

   “Not more than one, when we do,” he said. “Not like I’m going to get myself tipsy on the clock.”

   “He certainly would,” the triple-changer said.

   “Well, I’m not him. Don’t expect it to be a habit, anyways. I’ve only joined him once or twice.”

   Mace gasped. “Do you like him?”

   “Uh, I guess? I mean, I think we could be friends.”

   “No, no, no, like like.”

   “... What?”

   “He’s asking if you have romantic interest.”

   “Oh, what? No! Why would you assume that?”

   “Awww, too bad, you guys would be cute.”

   Weathervane grimaced. “I’m going to need this hi-grade after all.”

   An awkward silence settled. Granted, not for Mace, not ever, and Shrapnel was far too self-assured to let it bother him. So really it was awkward for Weathervane and Weathervane alone.  He worried his lip with fang-like teeth. Not that it was anything new, but he felt intensely out of place with the two Autobots. He found himself fretting privately about how he let himself get roped into this situation and what they might be thinking and if they--

   “Okay, okay, you’re like, three drinks behind. C’mon, Weathervane,” Mace set his cube aside and pushed an armful of them in front of the other plane. “We’ll wait!”

   Shrapnel nodded solemnly from his seat. The biplane blinked at them, a twinge of relief at the silence being broken despite the newest pressures placed so unceremoniously upon him, now. He sighed, looking as terribly put-upon as possible. But he did as asked. He wanted those units, after all.

   The smallest of them snickered, not missing the slight sloppiness in his movements. “Are you getting affected already?”

   “Shut up, Mace,” he snapped. “Why are you so eager to win, anyways? You won’t get anything out of it. Can’t give yourself your own units.”

   “I can, too!”

   “Bragging rights,” Shrapnel said.

   “Oh, yeah. That, too. I told you both I could hold more than you!” He pointed dramatically ahead, as if striking a pose.

   “You’ve hardly won, yet.”

   “Ah,” Weathervane muttered.

   While the empty air still bothered the newest Autobot, he had a task to complete now: drinking with whatever fervor he could muster. So really, it didn’t occur to him that he ought to be feeling awkward again. Shrapnel had seemed to settle on looking and acting bored, perhaps spacing out. Mace, for his part, was watching Weathervane with a twitchy excitement, and had the biplane not been so focused, it would have been making him far more uncomfortable than he already was. The uninitiated may have seen the drone’s energy as a side-effect of the hi-grade, a few weeks ago, but he knew better by now. It was just his constant state of being. The mechsimply  had no off-switch.

   “Hurrrryyyyyy,” Mace whined.

   “I’m doing the best I-- listen, you’re going to stress me out and then I’m just going to… to choke or something.”

   “You’re lllllllame.”

   “Stop! I didn’t ask for your opinion!”

   Shrapnel sighed deeply and grabbed another cube, despite what Mace had said. This was not his ideal company for drinking.

   “Ah, but you like drama like this, don’t you, Weathervane?”

   He cocked his head. That had been a sharp turn, hadn’t it. Mace was a difficult conversation.

   “Depends,” he answered carefully.

   “Hey! Who do you think is the strongest Autobot here? I think it’s Echo because of his guns, but he probably has weaknesses I didn’t even think about!”

   “Plenty,” Shrapnel said blankly. Weathervane wondered if the drinks had invigorated their usually stoic and silent Second to say so much. Though, speaking ill of the captain had never required him to be drunk before, so in the end, he still couldn’t tell. This was all so stupid, petty, impotent. Yet a hot flash of anger bolted through Weathervane’s chest at those stupid words.

   “That’s the problem with your hero complexes,” he growled, before his brain could catch up with him. “You think being strong is a good thing. It’s not. It makes you incapable of empathizing with the targets of that strength.”

   “...What?”

   He hesitated, mouth suddenly dry. “Oh. S-sorry, that… wasn’t what you wanted.”

   “The hi-grade is getting to you,” the largest mech surmised.

   “Says you.” Weathervane sat back upright, trying his best to appear collected and sober. His bashfulness forgotten, his claws curled against the tabletop and he grabbed another cube defiantly. “I won’t give up. You’ll have to kill me.”

   The triple changer only looked at him in response.

   “Hey, Shrap.”

   “Don’t call me that.”

   “Since you’re second-in-command, do you know any cool Autobot secrets?” Mace leaned in, eyes surely sparkling. The other mech didn’t bother turning to him, because really, it was a stupid question, and Mace only ever wanted light, fluffy responses, anyways.

   “As I’ve said before, if I did, why would I tell you?”

   “Ahh, you’re no funnn,” he whined.

   The biplane tuned in silently with a shift of optics. They’d had this conversation before, had they?

   “I’m actually kinda curious, now,” he said, eyebrows arched up, body leaned in, expression plainly interested. Normally, Shrapnel wouldn’t notice how it suited him.

   “That is unfortunate.” He sipped his drink. They’d amassed a decent pile of empty cubes by then.

   “Surely there’s something interesting,” Weathervane pushed.

   “What do you want from me? The terminal passwords?” Shrapnel didn’t budge.

   “Well, I certainly… wouldn’t complain.”

   “I’m sure. You would use it to download alien music or something, wouldn’t you?”

   “W-- would I? Do I strike you as a musical person?”

   “Well, you were telling Bumper all about alien instruments the other day,” Mace added, leaning his head in his hand. Clearly, he thought there was something to say about the two, judging by the teasing look on his face. Jumping to conclusions, as he often did.

   “That’s because he asked,” the biplane argued.

   “That’s not the point,” Shrapnel said, tapping a finger on the table. “The fact that you knew any of that means you must have studied it.”

   “I read one book on it,” he said, looking far more affronted than necessary. “It was just for the one planet, too. It’s just because the history of different tools and how each civilization created them is interesting. It’s how you fill the time. What are you going to do otherwise, walk down the hall? Or-- or sit and stare into space? So that then, when you think back to that moment, you’ll think, ‘oh, why didn’t I do something with that time? Now I just have memories of staring at a wall.’ But instead, I have memories of learning the conceptualization and evolution of a viola and how to use it and what each string sounds like. Even if you never use that knowledge, it’s stimulating and new and worth learning because at the very least, it’s better than nothing”

   The other two, for the first time that night, turned to each other.

   “I’m lost,” said Mace.

   “He is much more talkative now, isn’t he?” Shrapnel almost sounded teasing.

   “You asked! Don’t complain when you asked me!”

   In his defense, he wasn’t completely sober, himself, but Shrapnel felt himself intrigued that Weathervane would ramble in such a way. It almost felt like some secret he was bearing witness to. The newbie could speak more than two sentences, who knew?

   “What kind of frame are you, anyways, Weathervane?” Mace jumped without warning to a new subject again.

   “Hm? Why does it matter?”

   “Well you’re probably not a Seeker like me, and you’re definitely not like Shrap. Are you Vosian?”

   “Of course I’m Vosian, I’m just made for mining.”

   “That explains the weapons,” Shrapnel said.

   “Aw man, I wonder if we ever met before, then? Since we’re all Vosian!”

   He almost seemed to snarl. “Not a chance. You upper castes wouldn’t even know where to find the mines.”

   “No, I mean like, out in the skies!”

   “Military is hardly that upper,” Shrapnel added.

   “Aren’t you Seekers super regulated on where you can and can’t go? We certainly were. We were expected to live in the mines working forever, so those damn upper castes didn’t have to do any work.”

   “If you didn’t do the work, someone else would have had to,” Shrapnel said.

   “Ohh, well now that you say that I feel so much better, Shrapnel. Even if we were never built and others took our place wouldn’t make it any more just. To say that ignores a perfectly viable third option, wherein energon miners regardless of construction are treated fairly, given freedom and compensation for their time. I know the politicians and scientists get those things. Why only them?”

   “Politicians and scientists have more to offer. Even a Disposable could pick up a tool and dig up some crystals. Those who present a unique contribution to society don’t have to justify their existence. The rest do.”

   “Is that really what you believe? That the system was functional?” Weathervane’s expression darkened. The larger mech huffed.

   “No system is perfect. And of course, only the lowest castes complained, rather than accepting their role. They should’ve been proud. They were crucial to the balance, afterall.”

       At that, Weathervane’s eyes sparked like fire.

   “Well, I think the revolution was inevitable. I think the people at the top got what was coming to them. They deserved it for being ignorant-- for being okay with how things were.”

   “Uhh, I’m not really sure what’s going on right now,” Mace interjected nervously. “Isn’t that something a... Decepticon would say?”

   “You would know.”

   Mace started like he’d been burned.

   “More like something I’d have heard in a neutral camp,” Shrapnel said.

   “You... raided?” Weathervane tensed.

   “No, idiot, I lived in one.”

   “O-oh. Oh.” He tilted his head, seemed to get dizzy for a moment. “That sounds nice.”

   “It wasn’t.”

   “A-anyway, naturally the energon drought pushed everyone to get more aggressive in obtaining it. And neutrals, generally, aren’t so aggressive. But isn’t that simply fair, by your philosophy? That those who won’t contribute aren’t worthy of basic rights?”

   “My philosophy is that those who don’t work as hard shouldn’t expect the same benefits as those who do. That is not a denial of basic rights, it’s a rejection of the weakest link. Besides, now we’re discussing the entirely different issue of idealism, which is pointless now even with your best arguments.”

   Mace looked between the two with a nervous smile. All of this was going way over his head.

---

   “Where the hell is Shrapnel...” Echo hissed, to no one in particular. His second-in-command was supposed to be helping set the scanners and it was hours past when they’d started. Most of the crew was resting by now, and Echo wanted to do nothing more than follow suit and take his mind off this tedious piece of scrap, Shrapnel be damned.

   “Dunno, Cap’n,” Bumper said, looking up from where he’d been helping in the triple-changer’s stead. “Y’don’t think he actually went off with Mace all this time, after all?”

   Bumper had noted when he’d approached Echo earlier that he’d seen the two with Weathervane, but he didn’t expect they’d have been getting along. Even if, by some miracle, Weathervane had gotten on the SIC’s good side, he sincerely doubted that would be enough to make him spend quality time with the drone.

   Echo stewed for a few moments.

   “At this point, I don’t care where he is or what his excuse might be. He can’t just skip out on jobs, now. Meetings was one thing, but this-- He’s going to finish this by himself,” he stalked off, his direction being the only indication he’d actually heard Bumper at all.

   Bumper frowned at the unfinished job, but shrugged and followed after, anyways. Where to look for them, that was the big question. The three Autobot flyers didn’t have many interests in common, from what he knew. Assuming Shrapnel was still with them, what could they possibly be doing?

   ---

   “What you’re proposing is mass suicide, you understand that,” Shrapnel was saying. He sounded slightly off. Too relaxed, and not-angry.

   Echo stood in the doorway, watching the scene before him, somewhere between furious and downright incredulous. There sat the unlikeliest of trios, a notable stack of empty cubes between them (Bumper made a distressed noise from behind him.) Mace seemed perfectly normal, but the same could not be said for the other two.

   “This trajectory is just going to end with all us dead anyways,” Weathervane was arguing. He was clearly inebriated, his words unsteady and his optics burning brighter than they should. A passion-- something Echo hadn’t seen from him yet-- clouded his expression. “We should at least be able to die trying to fix this Primus-forsaken hellhole we’ve made.”

   “We’re doing that. It is called surviving.”

   “No, by… Ugh. I just want to save a shred of morality for myself. That would be so nice…”

   “Are you always so depressing when you’re drunk?”

   “Okay,” Echo interjected sharply, and only the biplane jumped, “What the hell is going on here? Explain, Shrapnel.”

   “Competition. Whoever lasts the longest gets all of Mace’s units.”

   “And I’m winning!”

   “That sure ain’t healthy…” Bumper murmured, eyeing the aforementioned stack of empty cubes. “You even leave any for the rest o’ us?” He seemed a little downtrodden at the thought of the supply being low. Weathervane seemed to draw back, at that. He looked way more guilty than he needed to be.

   “It was my idea, Captain! Don’t get mad at Shrapnel! Besides, we still have a lot of hi-grade left, it’s not that big of a deal!” Mace beamed.

   “That’s not what I’m mad about, Mace,” Echo said curtly, “But thank you for confessing, we will discuss that later.”

   “I’m not very pleased about it,” Bumper added. “But, uh,” he turned back to the biplane, who looked upset- and more than a little frightened. If he was a paranoid drunk, this situation was only going to exacerbate his condition. He could practically see the steam coming off of Echo.  “We should take care o’ you, first, buddy. You’re not going to get back to your quarters in that state.”

   “Who won…?” His voice was oddly hollow, for the question. Though all things considered, it made sense that he wouldn’t make sense.

   “Clearly Mace did,” Echo said.

   “What?!” Shrapnel exclaimed.

   “Ahh, risk not reward, hmm,” Weathervane seemed to grow sad.

   “Woohoo! Told you guys! I was right!”

   Shrapnel drew his shoulders up, as if to argue, but was cut off.

   “Clearly you’re even more of a joy than usual, Shrapnel. You’re not acting like yourself, and you missed tonight’s job.”

   “What of it, Echo,” he turned slowly back to the Captain. “It got done without me.”

   “No, it didn’t.”

   “Uh, well I’m gonna help Vane here back, but I’ll come back help with the rest o’ that, after,” Bumper interrupted. He’d already slung one of the other’s arms around his shoulders and supported his heavy leaning. Weathervane seemed to be getting more nervous.

   “Thank you, Bumper.” Echo didn’t look at him as he effectively dismissed him, focused on Shrapnel. He regarded him silently. Shrapnel stared back. “... We’ll discuss this when you can think straight.”

   “Can you say you deserve to be alive?” Weathervane blurted, turning around at the door to figure out where Shrapnel was and nearly knocking both himself and Bumper over in the process.

   “... Weathervane?”

   “What do you mean?” The largest mech tilted his head.

   “You… your arguments fall apart if you can’t tell me, guilt-free, that you deserve to be alive more than everyone who’s ever died,” he managed. “You’re wrong.”

   His intensity was tangible. A momentary hush fell over the room, as if they’d all been blindsided by his words. Echo had to admit he was... surprised, his spark both twisted and impressed by the biplane’s sentiment. Perhaps his first impression of Weathervane had been… wrong.

   “You’re naive,” Shrapnel answered, unaffected, voice still cold and precise. “Everyone who has offlined has made their sacrifice. They weren’t strong enough to survive, and their deaths decided their worth.”

   Weathervane’s mouth clicked shut. He glared, unfocused, for a silent few moments. An insurmountable rage seemed to flare up in the spare moments. Shrapnel scoffed, had to have one last remark.

   “This is a war you’re in. Not everyone matters.”

   The other’s silence grew angrier, he almost seemed to regain a focus, something sharp and cutting he’d never displayed before. In moments he deflated, suddenly looking defeated and burdened.

   “C’mon buddy,” Bumper interrupted gently. “Let it be.” The flyer was already too distraught for him to allow it to get worse. And Shrapnel was gasoline to a flame. The grounder coaxed him forward on wobbling legs and managed them both out of the room towards the suites.

   The captain and his second-in-command watched them go in silence; a silence that even Mace respected, clearly uncomfortable as he was.

   “You’re a fucking idiot,” Echo finally spat, turning on the largest mech. “You should be ashamed of your conduct.”

   “I’m not.”

   “I fucking know you’re not. Get to your quarters and rust for all I care. I want you on deck at cycle break and you are fixing the Primus-forsaken scanners on your own. If you’re not there, I’m throwing you out of the airlock myself.”

   The triple changer didn’t immediately move, challenging the optics glaring at him. Echo was only intimidating if one believed him, afterall. Nonetheless, the captain’s words impacted him enough to slowly stand. He didn’t sway like Weathervane had, but his steps were uncertain all the same, leaving behind Echo and Mace without another word.  Echo wished he believed there was some regret in his silence. But he wasn’t that stupid.

   “Soooooo I guess I’ll just--” Mace was slinking out of his chair.

   “Clean up this mess? I agree.”

   The drone’s wings drooped and his mouth opened to protest, but after a moment, he thought better of it. He began collecting the empty cubes scattered on the floor, the containers quietly clinking together the only noise until the little mech started humming to his work.

   “So, uh, Captain? I--”

   “Mace, you still have the courtesy of my patience, but it’s thin.”

   The drone looked wounded, but got the hint.

   Echo left after the first two armfuls were disposed of, confident that the work would be done without issue. Mace was a chatterbox, but he pulled his weight, if nothing else.

   He went back to the main deck, staring absently at the mess laid out on the panels, and spent the rest of the cycle awake.

---

   “You gonna be okay?”

   Weathervane nodded groggily. It seemed that the crash had hit him hard now that the challenge factor had been removed. Bumper chuckled, in both humor and relief, “Well, good. An’ I hope you learned somethin’ tonight. If Mace challenges you, it’s prolly ‘cause he knows he can win.” He chuckled to himself. The flyer graced him with a little smirk at that, if tinged with what he could only assume was disappointment, optics darkened and losing focus quickly.

   The purple mech stayed just long enough to make sure the newbie was settled, already in hi-grade induced recharge by the time he left the hab suite, and made his way back to the rec room as he’d promised.  Mace was still picking up; and by Primus there were a lot of cubes. He didn’t seem particularly upset by how things had ended, but he was alone all the same.

   “Need help?”

   The drone perked up immediately, spinning on his heel with an arm full of cubes.

   “Phew, absolutely! I was getting lonely!” The grounder smiled-- it was hard to stay mad at the tiny crewmate-- before grabbing an armful himself. It was tempting, but it was too late in the cycle to have some himself. He was almost hurt he hadn’t been invited.

   “So… What’d you start this whole mess for, anyway?” He prodded, dumping out his armful into the receptacle against the counter, “Weathervane, sure, but Shrap? You had t’ know that’d be bad news.”

   Mace almost looked hurt by his wording, but seemed to brush over it just as quickly.

   “Well, I really did just think it’d be fun. Flyers have to stick together, you know. Besides, those two are so wound up all the time. They’re gonna get stuck that way!”

   Bumper laughed at that. “Guess so. Just might not be somethin’ worth messin’ with. Yer gonna end up on Echo’s scrap-list.”

   “Yea, maybe not. But hey, I tried! Never say I didn’t try!

   “... I did win, though.”

#transformers relay #transformers prime #transformers #tfp #TFR Art #TFR Story #Admin Marie #Admin Galaxy

[x0401x]

Asahi Shinbun Interview with Akane Kazuki

“Original animes are now showing their true value.” - On the feelings that director Akane Kazuki has put into his latest work, “Hoshiai no Sora”.

One challenging TV animation began airing in October 2019. The title of the series is “Hoshiai no Sora”.

In the past, many TV animes were original works, but as of late, animes often have a source material. It can be said that the ratio of “anime adaptations” of source materials is between over 60% and over 80%. “Hoshiai no Sora” is an original anime, which is rare nowadays.

Akane Kazuki-san, the director, original creator and screenwriter, had made three original animes until now. Yet all of them were sci-fi and fantasy, their stories unfolding through “unrealistic” themes. However, unlike Director Akane’s works up to this point, “Hoshiai no Sora” is a “realistic” story that has the youth of middle school boys as its theme.

Why did he decide to make one more original anime, with a theme that he had never written about before? The motive was hidden in the roots of Director Akane’s entry in the anime industry.

Raw || Index

Coming in contact with the possibility of an original anime through “Gundam”

One of the reasons why Director Akane decides to aim for the anime industry was that he “felt the potential of anime”. At the time, many directors, such as Miyazaki Hayao and Tomino Yoshiyuki, were creating original works that did not have a source material and enlivening the anime industry. Director Akane was greatly influenced by them.

“When I was a child, after watching Steven Spielberg’s ‘Encounter with the Unknown’ and George Lucas’s ‘Star Wars’, I began looking up to international live action movies. There were many works amongst the live action movies from overseas that were exciting, fun and insane to watch, and I could feel an essence of entertainment from them. On the other hand, several of the Japanese live action movies were focused on realistic artistry and not very entertaining.”

“Then, I watched the works of Miyazaki-san and Tomino-san and they had me going, ‘This is entertainment! Japan can also make entertainment-type works!’. At the same time, I felt that we could be entering an anime era from that point onward.”

After graduating from university, Director Akane joined Sunrise. Under Director Tomino Yoshiyuki, father of the “Kidou Senshi Gundam” series and one of the people who motivated Director Akane to aim for the anime industry, he was in charge of the production progress of original robot anime works.

Starting with the Gundam series, Director Tomino created countless original animes. Director Akane was charmed by the way that Director Tomino made his series.

“In Tomino-san’s settings, I already required to insert my own ideas. With Tomino-san’s plots as base, the writers would make the scenarios, and the responsibility for their content fell upon the storyboard writers, but if we made storyboards that were exactly like the screenplay, Tomino-san would get angry. ‘Put more ideas into it,’ he would say. ‘I’m already giving so many ideas, so why won’t you guys give some too?!’ (laughs). For original animes, in order to make the series interesting, we had the duty of sprinkling and hammering our ideas into it while having constant questions about it. Witnessing this at twenty years of age, I came in contact with the enjoyment of making original animes.”

From this experience, Director Akane started to think that making original animes was something natural for animation directors.

The decline of original animes | The sense of two impeding crises that he had been observing

Having left Sunrise and turned into a freelancer, Director Akane birthed original animes one after another. He worked as the director, original creator and series composer of “Geneshaft” (2001), “Heat Guy J” (2002) and “Noein: Mou Hitori no Kiki e” (2005). However, along with the passage of time, the difficulties of creating an original anime increased. This was because the fact that the public became able to purchase anime films (VHS and DVD) gave rise to a climate of concern for the film sales in the industry as a whole.

“Original animes take a great deal of workload and costs for the production and advertisement. Still, you have to release them in order to know if they will be a success. On one hand, animes that have a popular source material such as mangas, light novels and games have their stories and characters ready, and you know they will sell to a certain extent even if there is not much propaganda for them.”

And so, the number of projects for original animes saw a steady decrease. Currently, most of the animes being broadcasted are series that have source materials. In these circumstances, Director Akane claims that he can sense two impeding crisis.

“The first is: I feel that the viewers have begun to grow tired of anime. When they have a source material, people can get excited over the developments even without watching it in earnest. I wonder if they are becoming unable to watch anime seriously. If I had to say it, anime is turning into a sashimi accompaniment nowadays. Social medias are the sashimi and anime is the grated radish. People watch anime in order to talk about it in social medias. Anime is becoming a tool for communication. For us, the creators, this is destructive.

The second is the decline of the anime industry. That is because the people who have the know-how for making original animes are disappearing. Many of today’s young animators enter this industry after watching animes that have source materials. The number of people who aimed for this industry out of wanting to create original animes has truly decreased. It is exactly because things are this way now that we need original animes.”

Breaking the patterns of traditional animation and opening up a new path

“Hoshiai no Sora” is the original anime that Director Akane took roughly fourteen years to make after “Noein: Mou Hitori no Kimi e”. With the sense of impeding crisis as his trigger, the thought that “we must advance with new ramifications and possibilities of animation” sprouted within Director Akane himself.

“When I thought about what young people use their money for these days, I concluded that they use it for ‘experiences’. That they might be paying to experience things they would not be able taste anywhere else, such as live concerts and events. When I pondered what could be the equivalent to a live concert in terms of anime, I figured that original animes feel like lives. Original animes, I thought, can create experiences that you can only have a taste of through them, since nobody has seen them before, so there is excitement when they are watched for the first time upon being broadcasted, and all sorts of emotions stir up because you cannot predict the future developments.”

In order to have the viewers feel that “experience”, what he was particularly conscious of was the “story”. Until now, he had been the creator, director and series composer of his original animes, but this time, he was the creator, director and screenwriter. Moreover, the setting this time was not a fanciful world of sci-fi or fantasy, but instead is a “realistic” story that depicts the youth of students. As “unrealistic” stories about the isekai theme have been increasing in number in the past years, Director Akane has put into it his intentions of being able to further amplify the feeling of a live concert through a realistic story.

“In ‘Hoshiai no Sora’, the story is portrayed through breaking the barriers of conventional anime. Several of the animes being aired nowadays have the role of ‘a place to escape to’. Many series depict impossible things in hilarious and crazy ways, forgetting about common life. That is by no means bad, but I believe anime should also have other functions. I aimed for a story that would not be simply funny, comfortable to watch or emotional, but that would throw themes at the viewers and make them ponder on ‘What do you think of this phenomenon?’ with me. I want to reflect the conflicts and troubles shouldered by the people who are living in the present, as well as the current era, through anime. Additionally, I want to show a new path not just for the audience but also for the people currently involved with anime production, that ‘this way of making anime also exists’.”

“Hoshiai no Sora” portrays children of the current times

And so, on October 2019, “Hoshiai no Sora” aired at last. Starting with its project, this work took a period of about three years to be made. In regards to its production, Director Akane states that he interviewed young people who are from the same generation and environment as the featured characters.

“This time, when I received the story, I reminisced to my childhood first-thing. The child characters who appear in anime look like they are having fun and are portrayed as though they symbolize nostalgia, but is it really like that in real life? When I looked back into my childhood, there was a lot of constraint, irritation towards myself and others, those kinds of things. So above all, I wanted to depict this properly. But this time, even though I could write as much as I felt like about my own childhood frustrations, I wanted to write about the frustrations of present-time children. The environment that children are put in nowadays is becoming much more complicated than in the era I was raised. I wanted to write about the children who live in it through anime.”

“That is why I did interviews first of all. In those interviews, I found that, along with the evolution of the times, children felt things that adults are incapable of feeling. Nevertheless, when adults do not understand this, I noticed that they often disavow young kids without listening to them. I thought that, if I also portrayed this part of it, the younglings might watch the anime seriously as if it were them.”

What livens up this crafted story is the “art style”, which gives off a soft impression. It is said that the adoption of anime-like cutesy illustrations in contrast with the realistic story was the producer’s suggestion. Since people cannot tell what kind of story an original anime with no source material will be until they watch it, he made use of the idea that they would be drawn into the anime by its art and gradually get pulled into the story. Introducing people to a realistic story through an unrealistic element - one could take this as a form of expression that can be achieved exactly because it is an anime.

In 2005’s “Noein: Mou Hitori no Kimi e”, “new” techniques were adopted, such as the CGI outlines and the fact that the animation style changed on every episode, which was rare for the animes of the time. Just like that, Director Akane always shows us viewers a new “something”. This deepened the expectations that “Hoshiai no Sora” would also surely show us something novel.

“When watching the series, one might at first have the impression that it is about the activities of a middle school boys’ soft tennis club, a sports thing. However, it is a drama that depicts not just this, but also the frustrations and troubles that middle schoolers shoulder these days, including the adults who cause them. It reflects the nature of the current times and presents questions, as we have tried all kinds of devices to make people think, regardless of whether they are young children or adults. It is different from the patterns of anime that people have being seeing until now, so there might be viewers who were at loss. I think they could not have imagined how the story would turn out (laughs). With this included, I want everyone to have fun watching it.”

#hoshiai no sora #hns #stars align #fyeahsportsanime #sportsanimedaily #hoshisora #katsuragi maki #shinjou touma #akane kazuki #anime #interview #my translation

[another-tmnt-writer]

Clay or Charcoal?

Leonardo x Reader

Author: Mo

Summary: You decide to have a self-care day and Leo is too curious for his own good

Note: I watched TMNT Out of the Shadows three times today and I have developed an even larger crush on Leonardo than I already had (even tho he’s kind of a jerk in OOTS tbh)

Warnings: None?

Word Count: 1.5k

It was a pretty uneventful day in New York City. There were only a few clouds in the sky, it wasn’t noisy aside from the usual city chatter. And given that your four best friends were giant turtles that lived in a sewer, normal days like this didn’t happen very often.

So, seizing the day before it could seize you, you surveyed your room, packing up some things before making your way down to the lair to pay four said turtles a visit.

“Nice shirt.” Leo commented the moment he saw it. You were wearing a blue tee that said ‘In New York, the Turtles Save YOU.’

“It was on Redbubble and I couldn’t resist.” You laughed, setting your stuff down. “It’s awful quiet around here?”

“Mikey was up until four playing video games, so he’ll probably be knocked out until at least noon. Donnie is in his lab and Raph—”

“Let me guess…dojo?”

“Yeah.”

“And what is the fearless leader up to?” You asked coyly, tilting your head. You watched the grin spread across his handsome features before he finally looked up at you with those clear blue eyes.

“Just drinking tea and talking to you, my two most favorite things.” Leo set his mug down and motioned to the bag you’d brought. “Might I ask what’s in the bag?”

“Well, I didn’t have any plans today aside from coming down here to bug you, so I brought along some beauty stuff. Face masks, nail polish, lotion, you know, basic stuff.”

“Ah. I’ve never done a face mask before. They’re…” he chuckled. “Well, they’re not exactly easy to come across down here.”

“We could do one together, if you want!” You suggested, lighting up like a Christmas tree. “I brought some movies, too. We can pop one in and take care of our skin.”

“I’d like that.”

So, while Leo finished up the last of his tea, you popped Moana into the DVD player and got out the face masks you’d brought along with you. Some of them were sheet masks, but some of them were the kind you spread on and then wash off. Leo wandered over, looking at all of the stuff as you spread it out.

You pulled your hair up out of the way and he sat down on the couch, mentally preparing himself.

“Alright, where do we start?”

“Well, you’re going to need to take off your mask.” You pointed out. It would be very difficult to put anything on his face without getting the blue fabric out of the way. This brought you to realize another thing: you’d never seen Leo without his mask before.

“Right. Of course.” Leo reached behind his head and quickly undid the knot holding the bandana there. When he pulled it away, you took a good long look, a smile slowly spreading across your features. He chuckled. “What?”

“You’re so handsome.” You stated, admiring him quietly.

He looked down, shaking his head and laughing softly. “You don’t have to say that, you know.”

“I know. But it’s true, so someone needs to say it.” You shrugged, smiling at his darkening cheeks before turning your attention to the products lined up on the coffee table. “Do you want to do a sheet mask or a clay mask or…?”

“What do they do?” He sat forward and studied the different bottles and tubes.

“Well, they all do different things. Clay and charcoal masks clean the dirt and oil out of your pores, the sheet masks usually rehydrate your skin…” You handed him a few different options so he could read them over. After thinking for a minute or so, he handed you a clay mask.

“I want to do this one.”

“Do you want to put it on or do you want me to do it?”

“It’d…probably be best if you did. I’m sure I’d mess it up somehow.” Leo rubbed the back of his neck, ignoring the heat that rushed to his cheeks as soon as he suggested it.

“I doubt you’d mess it up. You’re good at these kind of things, you know, things that involve patient hands. But I can definitely help. It’s not like we have a mirror out here.” You squeezed the tube of clay mask, mixing around the contents inside before you approached him.

He looked so different without his mask on. Not bad, just…exposed. Without the fabric there, his eyes somehow looked even bluer.

“You’re tall, so I’m going to have to…get close, if that’s alright.”

“Get as close as you need. I’m a slider, not a snapping turtle; I don’t bite.”

You took a few steps closer before tentatively sitting on his thigh. Your curiosity distracted you from the way Leo’s heart was pounding in his chest. “Do you ever have existential crises about that? I feel like I would, all things considered.”

“Oh, all the time.” He chuckled. “If things were different, I’d be in a pet store somewhere and I’d be about a foot long.”

“Jeez, how would I ever reach things on the top shelf if you were only a foot tall?” You teased, squeezing some of the mask onto the back of your hand before dipping your pointer and middle fingers into it. “This is going to be cold. Just a warning.”

“Thanks.”

“Alright, try to hold still.” You smeared the minty-colored clay across his forehead in a straight line and whispered, “Simba~”

Leo laughed, trying and failing to suppress a giant smile.

“I said hold still!” You laughed, thoroughly coating his forehead before you painted clay onto his snout, cheeks, and chin. “There. All done.”

“Now what?”

“We wait until it hardens and then wash it off. Here. You do mine now.” You handed him the bottle and watched as he very carefully squeezed some onto the back of one of his huge hands, carefully mimicking exactly what you had done only moments before.

Leo used one large finger to very gently spread the mask onto your face. You couldn’t remember a time you’d ever seen him move this carefully before, like any wrong move would set off a land mine. It was amusing.

After a few minutes, he was done, but you wished he wasn’t. You could have sat there all day as Leo very tentatively painted you green.

When you looked back at the TV, it was just as Moana was helping the baby turtle to the sea. You laughed softly and pointed. “That’s you.”

“Yeah?”

“Confirmed.” You squealed at the little baby turtle as he did a spin before swimming off into the sea. “He’s so cute oh my Goddddddd.”

“He is cute.” Leo agreed, smiling softly.

The two of you watched for a little while longer before your masks dried and you went to the bathroom to wash them off together. Leo followed your lead, gently rinsing the clay off of his skin. When it was finally gone, it left him feeling clean and fresh. He felt his face curiously. Leo couldn’t remember the last time his face had ever felt this soft.

“That was fun. Thank you.”

“Of course.” You grinned, looking up, up, up at the tall turtle. “We should do it again sometime.”

“We really should.” Leo agreed eagerly. Not wanting his time to end with you quite yet, he hurried suggested, “B-but, if you’re not busy…we could finish Moana.”

“Well I wasn’t going to leave without finishing.” You laughed and reached forward to take one of his giant hands in your own, pulling him back out to the living room to sit in your spot on the couch. “Believe it or not, I like spending time with you, Leo.”

He chuckled at that, studying you with those blue, blue eyes of his. “I like spending time with you too. And…if you want to…I’d like to spend more time with you…one on one…”

“Like a date?” You asked, smirking as his cheeks immediately darkened and he looked away from you.

“N-No!” He stuttered before amending, “Well, yeah, kind of, actually. If you want to. But if you don’t—”

“I do. Want to. I have for a long time, Leo.”

“Oh. Cool.” He nodded, trying and failing to act casual. “Wait, really?!”

“Yeah!” You laughed, squeezing his hand reassuringly. “Why wouldn’t I? I’d have to be blind to not have a crush on you.”

“Well, in that case…” He squeezed your hand back. “How about I take you out tomorrow night?”

You leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “It’s a date.”

#leonardo x reader #leonardo imagine #leonardo #leo #leo x reader #leo imagine #tmnt #tmnt imagine

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

13 Keys to the White House: 2024

Historian Allan Lichtman has produced an astonishingly accurate system for predicting presidential elections; although first implemented in 1984, going backwards it correctly accounts for every election since 1860, with the only hiccup coming from the hotly contested 2000 election. He predicted Gore would win, and he wasn’t entirely wrong, there was just some brotherly nepotism and Supreme Court fuckery. Anyway, his system posits 13 yes or no scenarios about the state of the union; if at least 8 are true then the incumbent party wins another term, less than 8 and the challenging party wins. Simple.

It’s pretty early in Biden’s term to tell for sure, but we can make some soft predictions that we can refine over the next few years before solidifying in 2023 or 2024.

Midterm gains: after the midterms, the incumbent party holds more seats in the House than they did in the previous midterms. Almost certainly false. 2022 will see new districts drawn by the predominantly Republican statehouses, giving them an immediate advantage. Democrats have a razor thin majority as is, it’s never been this close to tied before, I can’t see them holding on when you take into account new census data and partisan gerrymandering.

No primary contest: is there no serious contest for the incumbent party nomination. Almost certainly true. Like him or hate him, Democrats are stuck with Biden. There hasn’t been a serious primary challenge in either major party since Reagan tried to take on Ford in 1976.

Incumbent seeking re-election: the incumbent candidate is the president. Again almost certainly true. There was an unspoken agreement that Biden would only run for one term, considering the fact that he’ll be 82 at the end of it, but o think he thinks he’s in for the long run now. If he does in office, Harris will become president and run for re-election herself, so the only way this would flip false would be if Biden just decides not to run again. In that case, the #2 might also flip false because I could see a weak senator like Joe Manchin running against Harris to get out of his own impending failure in West Virginia.

No third-party: no significant third party challenger. Too soon to tell, though I’m leaning towards true. The last nationally successful third party candidate was Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996. He didn’t win any states, but he split some states nearly in thirds; Clinton and Bush and Dole all won states with less than 50% of he vote because Perot split the ticket. In 2000 Ralph Nader lost New Hampshire for Al Gore, giving it and the presidency to George W. Bush, and the same thing happened with Jill Stein in 2016 in the Midwest. Spoilers don’t need to be major on the National scale to have significant effects in specific states. Lichtman only flips this one false when a third party candidate wins 10% of the vote, so I’m going with true.

Short-term economy: the economy is not in recession. Probably true, but still too early to tell. We are either in the middle or nearing the end of a covid recession, I can’t see it lasting three more years without recovering at least a little, especially with the $2 trillion stimulus package they just passed. The economy is random, but if you look at a plot of unemployment since the Great Depression you will see that it consistently trends up under Republicans and trends down under Democrats. Trump was the only president is recent history to actually destroy more jobs than he created, so Biden could. It have inherited an easier path to victory. He shouldn’t be able to fuck up when the bar is so low, but I’m not holding out hope.

Long-term economy: real pet capita growth equals or exceeds mean growth during the previous two terms. Probably true, too soon to be sure. We’re so deep in the hole after Trump that any even remotely upwards tick will count as growth. I can’t see us dipping deeper than 2020 anytime soon, but then again that’s what they said in 2008, so who even knows?

Major policy change: the incumbent administration effects major change in national policy. False, I can call it now with utmost confidence. With Manchin and Sinema protecting the filibuster, Biden will get absolutely nothing substantive done in his first two years. He’ll end up losing one or both houses in the midterms, accomplishing even less in his next two! If he loses the Senate, it’s all over. It’ll be 2016 2.0, no more appointments, no more nominees, complete and utter obstruction until the Republicans take back he presidency and fill all the vacancies themselves.

No social unrest: no sustained social unrest during the term. Too soon to tell, but maybe true. 2020 was an anomaly, a once in a generation thing like 1968, so many crises all compounded together; the pandemic, the George Floyd protests, the wild fires, the hurricanes, utter chaos. I don’t see 2024 being as bad, but don’t quote me on that.

No scandal: incumbent administration is not tainted by scandal. Who knows?!? Biden seems pretty white bread/plain vanilla/mayonnaise, but Republicans insist he’s the most corrupt politician since their own guys (Trump and Nixon; lowering the bar for all their successors). They milked Benghazi for years and found nothing, but still tanked Clinton’s integrity going forward, I’m sure they’ll try to milk whatever BS They can find on Hunter Biden, especially if they retake the House or Senate. Whether any accusations will stick is up in the air, but I could see Republicans impeaching Biden just because they can.

No foreign/military failure: incumbent administration suffers no major failure in foreign/military affairs. Who knows? Biden’s foreign policy isn’t significantly different than Trump’s, so there’s no telling what could go wrong. The Saudis will keep cutting people’s heads off, North Korea will never disarm itself, Iran will probably arm itself, Afghanistan will drag on forever, and I can smell war brewing in the Caucasus, Venezuela, and Bolivia. The future is as clear as milk.

Foreign policy/military success: incumbent administration achieves major success in foreign/military affairs. Probably not, but too soon to tell. Succeeding is very different from not failing, so 10 and 11 aren’t necessarily linked. You can not fail AND not succeed, they’re not mutually exclusive. I don’t see anything good happening overseas for a very long time. If we pull out of Afghanistan, the power vacuum will pave the way for ISIS 2.0, so our hands are tied there. Our best bet would be to renegotiate a nuclear deal with Iran, but then we’ll just be back to status quo anteTrumpum, zero sum gain.

Charismatic incumbent: the incumbent party nominee is charismatic or a national hero. False, false, a million times false. Biden isn’t even beloved by his entire party, let alone the country; Republicans hate him even more than they ought to just because he wears a blue tie instead of a red one (his policies are so middle-of-the-road inoffensive to them that they shouldn’t have a problem with him, but Trump told them to, so they do). If Biden dies or refuses to run, Harris is even more divisive because she’s a woman and a disingenuous liar (she pretends to be super progressive, but she’s a cop, a Clintonesque moderate through and through). Obama in 2008 was a breath of fresh air which got very stale by 2012; 2008 was lightning in a bottle, and neither Biden nor Harris could ever dream of catching it again. They’re nowhere near as nationally beloved as the Roosevelts or Kennedy or Reagan.

Uncharismatic challenger: the challenging party candidate is not charismatic or a national hero. True, true, a million times true. It will almost certainly be Trump again in 2024, and he is even more despised than Biden. Sure, he’s beloved by his own party, but they make up less than half of he country. He never had majority approval and lost the popular vote twice, he’s a loser! If by some miracle he chooses not to run, the Republicans will be running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to appoint a successor. They’ll want one of his kids to run, maybe even his daughter in law who is looking to run for senate in 2022, but they’re tainted by affiliation to the Gonad Lump himself; they’re all the same. Ted Cruz sucks ass, Ron DeSantis might actually have an intellectual disability so I feel bad making fun of that piece of shit bastard, I pray that Rick Scott and Josh Hawley and Matt Gaetz suffer debilitating brain aneurysms on live TV, Nikki Haley is a nobody, and Lauren Boebert and Majorie Taylor Green are too regional to have national appeal (though Green will probably run against Raphael Warnock in 2022, so she will almost certainly be a senator by 2024). There are no nationally beloved politicians on either side of the aisle, so I would expect Republicans to cheat like they tried in 2020 to stop black people in swing states from voting.

So, the tally stands thus:

3 are certainly true

4 are probably true, leaning uncertain

2 are uncertain

1 is probably false, leaning uncertain

3 are certainly false

Democrats need 8 true to win, Republicans need 6 false to win. Right now, Biden had a slight edge because it is historically difficult to defeat an incumbent, Trump just sucked. I don’t see a rematch being significantly different, I suspect Biden would still win the popular vote, but Trump could eke by with the electoral college like he did in 2016, especially now that Republicans are taking over the judiciary in Pennsylvania (they’re changing the rules so that judges are elected in gerrymandered districts instead of statewide races). You saw how hard Republicans fought in 2020, they’re not going to change tactics in 2024, they’re gonna double down and try even harder next time. Fewer polling places, fewer drop boxes, shorter early voting, shorter hours, more stringent ID laws. Their MO is systemic voter suppression because their rhetoric has become too toxic to win on a national level. The majority of Americans vote against them in almost every election, general and midterm, but they continue to rule in the minority.

Something has got to give, this can’t go on forever, eventually the situation is going to boil over, be it in a civil war or a constitutional convention to overhaul the entire country; neither are probable, and either outcome would almost certainly hurt people of color in predominantly conservative states.

Biden thought he would be an arbiter president, he thought he would be able to unite the country, heal the divide, being both sides together under mutual compromise, but he failed to understand that Republicans hate him on principal. Doesn’t matter how much he tries to appease them, they still hate him because they have to hate him, even if they agree with him. It would be political suicide for any of them to side with Biden on anything, Trump has already vowed to support primary challengers, his presidency was the final nail in the coffin of bipartisanship. Bipartisanship is dead, it hasn’t been alive in decades, and the only people who call for it are the minority party.

Trump is hard liquor, unappealing to anyone but his alcoholic voters; Biden is diet ginger ale, inoffensive and boring, nobody really wanted him, he only ran to try and settle everyone’s stomachs, and he hasn’t been very successful yet. He honestly believed he would be a neutral alternative for the alcoholics; that level of optimism would be adorable if it weren’t so pathetic. It’s gonna take a lot more than 12 steps to break the country’s addiction.

#2024 #2024 prediction #Biden #Joe Biden #Harris #Kamala Harris #2024 election #2024 presidential election #donald trump #fuck donald trump #fuck trump #13 keys to the white house #13 keys #prediction #future prediction #future president #biden harris 2024 #hellscape #dumpster fire #Hindenburg #the hindenburg #titanic #the titanic

[fullmetal-hearrt]

Lets talk about Park Jimin.

This boy right here, dating back to somewhere in the streets of Busan, at the age of seven he wanted to be the world’s greatest swordsman and was obsessed with dinosaurs up until middle school. The he discovered singing and told his father that he wanted to be a singer and his dad said, you do you the light of my life; fastrack a few years when in middle school he decided (as if a gift from God) to become a dancer and started doing ballet and contemporary along with street dance specializing in popping. (talk about talent).

He continued being a fire dancer and if I may flex, the busan street battle champion. His dance academy literally allowed him to learn for free cause he was just.that.good.  A few years down the line he was faced with a little bit of a crossroads where he had to choose between being a professional dancer or give his dreams a try and enter the kpop industry. Jimin had four scholarships lined up for him no big deal but he decided (again, as if a gift from God) to audition for big hit entertainment and ended up being a trainee.

He met Namjoon, Yoongi, Hoseok, Jin , taehyung and Jungkook. People he will eventually end up loving more than anything he’ll ever love. Namjoon and Yoongi had always been kind of an enigma, one being the leader and the other being as detached from life as it gets but their lyrics always spoke what they never did. Jin was a bit difficult to understand at first but with time it started feeling weird if there wasn’t someone joking around and making everyone smile even when their legs felt like giving out. Hoseok was someone who inspired the dancer in Jimin, the way he smiled so effortlessly even while doing the hardest of chereohraphies was something to adore. Taehyung and Jimin went to the same high school and in no time became the bestest of friends, they were practically inseparable; soulmates to be exact. Sometimes it felt like they only had each other to rely on. Jungkook on the other hand was a literal child who made Jimin want to constantly dote on him and how could he not love this lil boy who somehow felt like Busan, felt like home.

The trainee period was honestly hell in every possible sense; Jimin had the shortest trainee period and trained for mere months as opposed to the three years of training everyone else had. A lot of people including the CEO of the company were at some points against Jimin being in the group which resulted in him getting kicked out a couple of times. It was a long hard training period for this boy from Busan but eventually with nothing but sheer hard work, willpower and undeniable skills he ended up being the main dancer and the lead vocalist of Bangtan boys. (Pause for flex)

After what seemed like an endless struggle, the d day came and BTS debuted on 13th June, 2013. It was honestly shocking to some to see a rookie band having such a high skill set. Their debut was somehow the talk of the town. Amusingly enough, Everyone seemed to be talking about this guy who shows his abs during the performances. It helped with the popularity but as with all good things in life, it had a major downside. He was a minor who was forced to show his body when he literally requested against it and this in-turn left him with insecurities about his gorgeous body that’ll haunt him for years to come.

BTS weren’t really that big when they debuted, they were from a small company with limited funds and had to slowly build their way to the top amongst all the prejudice thrown at them.

Jimin grew up somewhere along the way.

Everyone seemed to love his pretty eye smile, the way he smiled with those eyes that made people feel at home. Everyone talked about how amazing he is all the time but somehow Jimin didn’t seem to believe. He somehow always saw himself as lacking something, always not enough. So he practiced;

There was Jimin; practicing, constantly striving to be better and more better. Burning out his body dancing, loosing his voice singing and rehearsing till he collapses. He kept practicing to sing better, kept collapsing till he danced better and kept starving till he looked better.

He just couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. Even in the vlog that was being filmed for his own birthday he couldn’t quite focus on the cake or his friends but somehow was busy covering his face with his hands because he felt like who he was without makeup wasn’t good enough.

A lot of things changed. Years, haircolours, eras; at the end of it all was one fateful day of May 5th, 2015 when BTS had their first win and for some reason Jimin couldn’t stop crying. It was hard believing that all his struggles are finally being rewarded; it felt unreal like it was a secret camera or his birthday but it was real and things were about to get even more real.

Then came wings and Jimin had to write a song for his solo and it was honestly difficult for him to settle on one thing so he kept working and kept editing and after months on end he came out with the lyrics to a song called ‘lie’. This song was the most genius thing most people had heard. It became the most popular of all the solos that were in that particular album. It set records on spotify and instantly became a highlight for their tour as well.

Somehow, a song  that was so widely loved had lyrics that were downright disturbing. He kept pleading for himself to be saved from hell. He kept saying that there are these voices that he hears and how he’s astray and how he needs to be rescued, desperately needs to be saved but nobody really cared about the lyrics as long as the choreography showed his collarbones & a choker.

A year down the line came the fateful concept of blood sweat & tears. Jimin had a lot riding on him for this. Being the center of their main single was something that was quite hard but Jimin had always been up for challenges.

He thought he had to be better, more better and the only way to be better was to look good because that’s what they say right? They say, your eyes desire first and the heart comes along later right? So he starved. He starved himself  to the point where he ate one proper meal in ten days. He kept feeling tired and collapsed a few times during rehearsals but it doesn’t matter cause it was working right? People went crazy about him in blood sweat & tears. It was a sight to see, people falling for him faster than his jacket falls off his shoulder. Blood sweat tears Jimin became a standard for sexy and charismatic that only few in kpop could reach. Who cares about his health as long as the focus  fancams keep coming in, yeah?

Things went on like this and damn BTS were on fire. Bangtan boys went from nobodies from a small company to being the biggest band in the world. They won many awards. They won daesangs and BBMAS and every other award that could fit in their bag. It was surreal. They achieved all the dreams that they had set out to achieve but this also meant that they were in uncharted territories. No one had quite done what they were doing. With the realization of being the best came the realization of being all alone on the top; Here set in the existential crises. It seemed like everyone was having a hard time, all the members were struggling too much and it was all too overwhelming to the point where they had to even consider disbanding and there are a lot of things that Jimin hadn’t imagined happening that happened but boy, this was the least of them all.

He was struggling so much but it was all on the inside you know? Never quite on surface. On surface he was everyone’s resident mochi but in reality there was hate, just so much fucking hate it made his head hurt. Everytime he opened twitter there were a dozen comments about how Jimin as a singer, as a dancer, as an artist; as a person just wasn’t enough.

But he kept powering through. Kept walking with his head high even though he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Jimin along the way decided to write a song of his own. Something that is Jimin in it’s very essence. To begin with it was a song about how he wasn’t enough. It got so bad that at one point he was practically cursing himself through his own song for just not being enough.

Along the way, there was a concert. It was one of the biggest they had ever done; citifield USA. It was a big damn deal. It felt unreal seeing so many people with their army bombs held high, tears in their eyes, all for these seven boys. Jimin was reminded of a time some months back when he was watching a video of his fans singing ‘young forever’ and how back in the day when he was having a hard time figuring himself out, he had cried his out to that song and to the people he loves so much. He couldn’t quite contain that feeling and ended up crying during the encore and boy when he cried it rained in some hearts. He cried looking at the sea of people that was no longer a mirage. Jimin being Jimin, decided that he wouldn’t sing about his struggle and his pain but would much rather sing about the fruits at the end of his despair so, he took some time out, got himself back on his own feet and did a complete 360 for his solo song.  

Instead of talking about how his pain and his struggle bothered him he just promised himself to not allow those things to bother him anymore. It was honestly therapeutic. The song that came out at the end of all this pain was a ‘promise’. A promise to help himself get through the night.

It was a long motherfucking road till here but at the end of all despair there was just one answer that he found, loving himself. The end of his despair wasn’t in how other people loved him but in how he needed to love himself, so now a days he does just that.

He loves himself.

He is goofy on stage, he doesn’t strictly stick to choreography now a days, he has his fun on stage. He isn’t scared of changing notes live on stage because even if his voice cracks or if he misses a step, now he knows, it’s only human. He eats too, atleast that’s what he tells his people. He does live shows where he is eating and tells everyone that he loves having midnight snacks and that he won’t diet again. Some people choose to believe him having no other choice but to hope he’s not caught in a lie again. The best thing though is that, He smiles a lot too recently and it’s the same smile; the same pre debut, familiar coming home Jimin eyesmile.

Guess it’s like coming home afterall, the 18 year boy who left a career, his hometown, all his loved ones and moved to the big city of Seoul all for a single dream that he had no guarantee of ever fulfilling. It really is coming home, coming home to himself and realizing that after all these years the only thing that has changed is that he became BTS’s Jimin from Park Jimin but underneath it all it’s just that same boy from Busan who can’t laugh without flinging his body across the room. The same boy who gets offended when asked about his height. The same little boy with the world’s biggest heart holding all of the love in his lil’ mochi hands and his little pinky that he has intertwined to make a promise, not just for us to love us but for him to love himself the way he deserves to be loved.

And honestly, I think that’s fucking beautiful.

#park jimin #bts #bts jimin #bangtan boys #jimin #jikook #jihope #vmin #minjoon #yoonmin #bangtan #kim seokjin #kim namjoon #kim taehyung #jeon jungkook #jhope #min yoongi #kookmin #kpop #mochi #chimchim #pjm #jiminstans #promise #park jiminie #bts jiminie

[jancmalandra]

Moominpapa Steps Up

On helping male Moomins through mid-life crises

"When Moominmama, mom, and Little My sailed The Adventure out of Moominvalley bay," began Tayberry as she mopped the parlor floor, "A very thick fog suddenly descended upon them. They couldn't see past a kilometer around the boat. They sailed very slowly for a full day. Auntie My kept careful watch from the bow and grandma and mom stood by at the sail, trying to be ready for anything. When they woke up the next morning, the fog hadn't cleared at all."

" 'Shouldn't we head back?', asked grandma, who was still looking for a reason to back out of this vacation."

" 'Not on your life!', mom said, " 'We're taking you out on an adventure for your own good. Besides, Little My and I need a break from Moominhouse almost as much as you do. Our adventure is just starting a little earlier than we expected, that's all.' "

" 'That's the spirit, Snork Maiden!', said Auntie My, " 'Whoa! Take down the sail and hang on everyone! We're about to collide with a very large ship!' "

"Auntie My leapt into the middle of the boat and huddled down with mom and grandma, awaiting the inevitable collision. The gallion suddenly hove into view out of the fog. Fortunately for The Adventure and her crew, the gallion was barely moving and all her sails were furled."

Tayberry's story was being thoroughly enjoyed by her family and before they knew it, they had finished cleaning the first floor of Moominhouse. Moominpapa had been restored to his usual enthusiastic self and was grinning widely as he directed the cleaning through gestures so as not to interrupt his granddaughter's story. Even Snufkin, who had started doing the dusting halfheartedly, forgot himself and began enjoying cleaning almost as much as Tayberry's story. Tayberry was feeling inspired and just kept going with her story, only pausing when her father went down to the kitchen to get fresh hot water for the mopping, so Moomintroll wouldn't miss a thing.

"The Adventure still bumped up against the side of the gallion with a heavy thud and the boat was tossed about rather violently.", continued Tayberry as she mopped the room that she and her sibling shared, speaking loudly so that she could be heard by everyone else, "A rope ladder was quickly let down into the boat from the deck of the gallion and mom, grandma, and Auntie My climbed it, almost out of instinct. When they reached the deck, they were greeted by the captain and his deck officers. Mom and Auntie My recognized the captain immediately. His hair had turned white, and his face was even more toughened by age and his years at sea than when they first met him, but there was no mistaking who it was: it was Captain Rumpot!"

" 'Well! I didn't expect that I would ever get a chance to have my revenge on the pair of ye!', he said, glaring at Auntie My and mom with an evil grin on his face, 'Don't worry, I won't harm either of ye, but I seriously suggest that ye behave yerselves and do as ye're told or I'll be forced to find ways to make yer friend here....uncomfortable. The three of ye will be staying on board as cooks and cleaning women until I'm satisfied that I've been paid back for all my misfortune from the time I was marooned in yer accursed village.' "

"Auntie My glared at him menacingly, but forced herself to stay silent. Mom had turned green with fright at first, but she forced herself to calm down and tried to concentrate on keeping grandma safe. Grandma clearly already had a plan in mind, for she remained perfectly calm and addressed Captain Rumpot as politely as she could."

" 'Well, I don't mind helping out for a while. Judging from the look of this deck, you could certainly stand to get into better habits.' ", said grandma, " 'But, we'll be leaving once I'm sure you can take better care of yourselves. This should only take a week. I'd very much appreciate it if you could tie The Adventure securely to your ship.' "

"Captain Rumpot's men scrambled to comply, and he was beginning to suspect that he was losing control of the situation. As grandma toured the pirate ship she scolded the pirates gently but firmly for the appalling state that every part of the ship and every member of the crew was in. She began teaching them how to properly clean and care for their vessel and themselves. Captain Rumpot's authority was based on fear and grandma's was based on how much she cares about those around her. It was easy to see which was more appealing."

"As grandma took over the day to day running of the ship during the week, and particularly as the pirates fell under the spell of her cooking, Captain Rumpot found himself being totally ignored by his own crew. Mom and Auntie My enjoyed watching grandma completely undermine his plans by setting his crew to all the work he had meant for the three of them. The pirates began to lose their taste for plundering ships and pillaging towns under her caring attention. By Friday, Captain Rumpot found himself the leader of a crew of respectable merchants rather than bloodthirsty pirates and he was more than ready to be rid of the three women responsible."

"As grandma, mom and Auntie My climbed down the rope ladder and into The Adventure to head back to Moominvalley, the former pirates bid her a tearful farewell, and Captain Rumpot had resigned himself to being a responsible businessman for the rest of his life."

When Tayberry finished her story, the five of them were gathered together in Snork Maiden's attic room having just finished cleaning Moominhouse. None of them had wanted to break the spell she had cast until she had finished. They all applauded and she took a bow. As they all walked back downstairs to have a late lunch, Moominpapa and Moomintroll were beaming with pride over Tayberry's first story.

"I say, Tayberry," asked Moominpapa, "Would it be alright if I passed your story on to my readers? I'll give you full credit and you can make sure that I rewrite it properly."

"Of course you can, grandpa!", said Tayberry delightedly.

"I'm going to tell the next story!", said Moomin eagerly, "What are we doing tomorrow?"

"It should be a fine, sunny day tomorrow, so we'll do the laundry and tend the garden. Snufkin can play his harmonica to accompany your story. Don't obsess over it too much before then, though. Just let it flow out of you. Hmmm....I could really stand to take my own advice, couldn't I.", said Moominpapa, and he laughed out loud at himself. Snufkin, Moomintroll, Tayberry and Moomin joined him. They were all very glad Moominpapa had recovered and was himself again. Tomorrow was going to be a lot of fun now that the cloud of anxiety over him was gone.

To Be Continued

#moomin #snufkin #moomintroll #moominvalley #snork maiden #moominpapa #moominmama #moomin oc #pirates #moomin fanfiction

[moonshinemornings]

in my skin

i’ve been thinking about writing this for a long time, and I think I’m at a place where, more so than being comfortable talking about it, putting my thoughts down might help me continue to chip away at my complex.

I want to preface this by saying that my fixation on how my body looks is infuriating to even me. this is for 3 reasons:

1) there is an endless list of more important, broader existential crises to be concerned with instead of how I look (what am I heading towards? am I genuinely happy pursuing a capitalistic, societal definition of success? what is purpose or value in my life???)

2) even on an individual level, so many other aspects of a human make up their person and make them interesting other than how they look and its stupid to be so concerned with this one thing that means so little if anything at all

3) I’m not even that stupidly far away from societal beauty standards anyway wtf like stfu

regardless, I think my thoughts about my body are reflective of how I think about myself relative to the world in general. I’ve also found that the relationship I have with my body is often a symptom about how I am feeling about my self worth at a certain point in time, and also manifests in how I see and treat the people around me. for these reasons I think it can be valuable to unpack these feelings even though they may seem asinine.

the first time I became conscious of my body was in my primary school dance club, when we had to get measured for our costumes. most of my friends were generally skinny and I wasn’t significantly larger than any of them. but the nature of (chinese) dance and the kind of girls that joined it made the general impression that it was better to be lithe and delicate - the moves just looked better that way. the revelation that I wasn’t as thin as I could be was not groundbreaking. it didn’t trigger any immediately toxic thoughts either. it was just a thought I hadn’t had before, that my body wasn’t perfect. It also didn’t affect me much because I had a lot of good stuff going on in school; I had great friends, I did well in school, everything looked good on paper and in real life (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I peaked in primary school). so it wasn’t a huge trigger for anything, just a planting of a seed, I guess? dormant.

as I grew into my teens my body was often too busy serving its intended purposes for me to be concerned with how it looked. I played sports all the time, I woke up early and went to bed early (when possible). I ate well and I was active. It wasn’t difficult to be relatively fit, so I wasn’t really that concerned with how “good” my body looked. like all teens, I did become more concerned with standards of attractiveness and whether or not I conformed to them. I noticed how people’s bodies differed and what people liked. I was aware that I was not on the top of my teenage male acquaintance’s who-would-you-bang list, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. I wasn’t super pleased with my body but I definitely wasn’t unhappy with it. and frankly speaking, I didn’t think I was unattractive lah like ya I might not be hot shit but I was definitely not ugly and I was pretty confident with what I had to offer. this was probably also due to the fact that I did well in school and extra-curriculars, so I found my validation elsewhere. 

for a short time between high school and college I had a body goal I wanted to work towards, time on my hands and a motivated support system, so I started working out for an aesthetic. It wasn’t super serious and there were no hard and fast rules, plus it was genuinely fun to work my body. I had been an athlete for several years at this point and I knew I felt good when my body was well-worked and maintained, so it was never difficult to bring myself to work out. the results were a happy bonus. looking back that was probably the time when I had the healthiest relationship with my body. I liked using it and spending time on it for the sake of doing it, I liked how it made me look but never to the extent that it became my main motivation for working on my body. if I had the luxury of unadulterated, stressless time, I could probably do it again. when I started college I was healthy, I looked good and I didn’t even care (we’ll come back to this).

when I started college things started to fall apart. my time in university was, overall, pretty shitty for my mental health. it was great in a lot of other aspects, and I can say with little doubt that it’s helped me grow into a person I not only want to be but am comfortable with. but the process was a shit show to put it lightly. when it comes to my relationship with how I look in particular, I think my years in London have unfortunately left me with a considerable amount of trauma. to make a long story short, I had an ideal of what I wanted my college experience to be like, but half a year into it I found myself severely unsatisfied with every aspect of my life. I wasn’t doing well in school, I felt like I was underperforming socially, I was conscious about the difference in affluence between me and the people around me and I was generally unhappy with the space I took up in my own and other people’s narratives. amidst all this, I put on some weight because (1) I wasn’t working out anywhere as much as I used to (2) the weather, my mental wellbeing and the food readily available made me eat a lot of junk. but instead of acknowledging and focusing on the underlying inferiority complexes that were eating away at me, I sought alternative validation through things I could seemingly control i.e. how I looked. it became the case that it was no longer that I looked a certain way because I worked out, but that I worked out because I wanted to look a certain way. and when I didn’t look a certain way because I was eating shit or going out or because it just plainly was not realistic given my living situation, the lack of validation would further aggravate the inferiority complexes and unhappiness with my person that started this toxicity to begin with. i ended first year treating the people around me like shit, not having anything to show for the hours of studying i put in, and a lot heavier than when I started it. family and friends pointed it out and i was pretty chill about it whenever it happened. i honestly thought i wasn’t that affected by it (again, brushing under the carpet the problems I had with the expectations I set for myself), and that i could lose the weight if i put my mind to it.

then in second year i developed an eating disorder. a couple months into second year I hadn’t made much progress with either my mental or physical health. I often ate till I was physically uncomfortable because I had a general problem with self control (I had none, in fact I didn’t want any, but that’s a story for another time). One night after eating too much, I went to brush my teeth and I was so full that when I gagged lightly from brushing my tongue, I involuntarily threw up the food that was filled up to my gullet. A normal person would’ve registered this as a cue that they should be more conscious about how much they’re eating. I saw it as an opportunity to eat as much as I wanted (for what?) and still be (or at least feel like I am) in control of how much weight I put on. and so I developed bulimia. the bulimia was closely followed by a binge eating disorder - seeing that now there was a mechanism to keep my intake in check, I could let my eating habits, which were in fact reflective of my control problems unravelling, go crazy. I told a couple friends about it because I thought maybe I needed help, but I never really told them how bad it could get. some nights I would go down into the kitchen in the middle of the night twice. thrice. seven times. I would look for anything I could inhale. cashews dipped in peanut butter. seaweed with a cup of yogurt. three packets of chips and a large slice of cake. instant noodles and jam straight out from the jar. it didn’t matter. it all ended up coming back out of my mouth and into the toilet bowl anyway. I would go out for meals with my friends and we would over-order. the paiseh pieces would be left on the plate and if no one wanted them, i would eat them. immediately afterwards I’d go to the restaurant washroom and throw it up. and all this time while I treated both food and my digestive tract like they were toys, my fixation on how I looked grew. spoiler: i did not lose weight from being bulimic. but I very much did lie to myself about it in order to keep at what was actually a coping mechanism for the rest of my life that was falling apart around me. I threw up everything I ate today, do I look different? I didn’t throw lunch up, but I worked out, so it should cancel out, does it show? I ate a salad but because for dinner we had baked rice I threw half of it up, it didn’t make me bloat did it? 

towards the end of second year I had a rude awakening that forced me to drag myself out of the shit hole of a mindset I had casted myself into to address the personal issues and the lazy, irresponsible, selfish attitude that had gotten me to this point. luckily, when I dealt with the underlying dissatisfaction I felt towards myself, my problems with food disappeared along with it. right now I don’t have an unhealthy relationship with food. if i were being generous, I’d say it could even be considered pretty healthy. my relationship with my physical body is also pretty good. I eat balanced meals, I sleep well, I work out when I want to and lay in bed and eat junk when I want to. I don’t force myself to get activity in, I don’t force myself to eat more or eat less. in fact, I think I am really inching towards getting the intuitive eating and living thing down. I’ve lost some weight and I definitely don’t hate how I look anymore. so I think I am in a good place for the most part.

my relationship with body image and the validation I feel from how I look however, has been (permanently?) affected. as it stands, I am scared about two things.

first. I like the person I am right now. my life is not super in check, but I’m holding it down pretty well. but in the past two years, when i had nothing under control, the way I looked was the only measure with which i valued my worth. do I only place less emphasis on how I look right now because, like when I was in high school, I have other things going for me? if, come one day, life happens and the going gets tough, will I once again come down on myself because I don’t look perfect, even though I don’t look shit? will how I see my body and how I feel about it be affected every time something else in my life causes anxiety or unhappiness, and if that happens is there a risk of it starting a vicious circle of self-toxicity?

second. like I said, I don’t hate how I look right now. but I also don’t love it. since coming back home, after a shower or when I’m changing or whenever I’m deciding what to wear, I stand in front of the mirror, and I look into it for what I can tell is longer than I would like. I don’t give myself shit for how I look or dislike what I see. but why am I looking anyways? am i checking to see if i like my body any more or less today? why do I care? why should it matter how close or far I am to society and my own definition of an ideal body?

recently I watched a video that said despite the positive intentions of the body positivity movement, a better approach would be radical body acceptance. body positive says that even though I’m fatter or shorter or flatter or whatever-er than the beauty standard, I am still beautiful. radical body acceptance argues that words like fat or thin or flat or short or thin should just be neutral words. there is no good or bad linked to them and there is no good or bad body type. bodies are not “beautiful however they may look”. they are just bodies. I’m trying to strive towards this idea of body perception, to go back to a place of not caring how I look in and of itself or relative to anything else. how I look will just be how I look. to be clear, I don’t think this mindset is the best one that should be universally promoted. I do however think it is the best method for me. this is because I’ve found that ever since developing a fixation on my body and how it looks, sometimes when I see other people the things I take notice of most are their bodies as well. I don’t think I go as far as to assign worth to their person or character because of how their body looks, but I can tell that I’m developing a fixation on other people’s bodies (even if I don’t compare it to mine) and I feel like it subconsciously blocks a clear, genuine perception of them as people. and, of course, it feeds into my obsession about how I look. the more I care, the more I care. so I want to focus on caring less, and eventually not caring.

I would like for a day to come where I can put on clothes and not feel the need to change out of it because I don’t like how I look in something before leaving the house. I would like even more if I didn’t feel the need to look in the mirror before leaving to begin with. I would like to be able to not feel badly if someone points out I gained weight, but I would like even more to not feel happy because someone says I’ve lost weight. I would like to stalk fewer girls on instagram to see what their bodies look like in different photos. I would like to stop being concerned about how my body looks in different photos. I would like for a day to come where, whenever I’m not actively thinking about it, I forget how I look. slowly but surely, I will take steps to make this happen. it took a while to rebuild a healthy relationship with food, and then a healthy relationship with my physical body. surely it will take longer to rebuild the relationship with the image and idea of my body in my mind. I think the moment I forget the image exists will be the day I manage to do so.

#hello

[theseerasures]

Conspicuous Media Consumption, 2019

i mean, everyone's doing these write-ups, right? might as well hop onto the bandwagon

towards the end of last year i had one of my typical existential crises about my media consumption: am i slowly disappearing up my own ass because i no longer care about most of the pop culture people like to discuss ad nauseam? but on the other hand, isn’t it more responsible to find the niche items made by non-mainstream and marginalized creators? on the third hand, wouldn’t i be much happier if i just watched FMA Brotherhood over and over again, preferably while starting a new Mass Effect playthrough at the same time?

the answer to all these questions is probably “yes,” but i decided to try something different going into 2019. for every week of the year, i would try to get through a year’s worth of content for some kind of media, be it comics, video games, TV, etc--they didn’t all have to be recent, or even new to me, but once i was done with that week i’d be done, even if i didn’t finish the content, and i’d make a judgement based what i’d seen on whether i want to continue. mostly, i was trying to avoid what happened to me with video games in 2018, when i was hating every second of playing Uncharted but still felt obligated to finish because everyone and their houseplant liked Uncharted or listlessly doing the Master Hunter achievement in RDR2 because the main quest made me miserable.

the actual outcomes of this Project(tm) are a little more complicated than anticipated--some media i could finish in a day, while trying to play through ALL THE CONTENT OF AN MMO understandably took much longer than a week--but it all kind of evened out. in the end i did 48 weeks of this, and used December as my catch-ups month to follow up on some things i didn’t get to finish. i thought i’d give my thoughts on each of the things i consumed this year as part of this project below in a concise manner--and yes, i know the people who’ve read even one (1) thing i’ve written are probably laughing right now, particularly given how long i took in this introduction just to get to me point, but i really am going to try!! it’s all an exercise in shameless self-indulgence, basically, but hey: if any of you want to chat at length about any of this stuff below, hit me up.

(quick note: you’ll only find media that i chose for this particular project below, so things i watched socially with friends--like certain film properties slorping me back into Disney’s gelatinous monolith--are not included)

Devilman Crybaby (anime, finished 1/5/2019): honestly i should have twigged onto what the year was going to be like when the first thing i drew from the metaphorical barrel was demon tiddies and apocalyptic existentialism. i was determined to dislike it for most of the year due to fundamentally disagreeing with its main thematic thrust, but i kept THINKING about it even months after. at this point i’ve kinda mellowed out. it’s definitely not a must love, but there’s enough queer metaphor and philosophical richness in it to make it worth checking out.

Attack on Titan (manga, 3 volumes finished 1/12/2019): this is the second time i’ve tried to get into this franchise and...yeah, no. i still don’t see the appeal. the fascistic overtones juxtaposed with absolutely no one having a sense of humor wigs me out to no end.

Young Justice (TV, 2.5 seasons finished 1/31/2019): honestly, what even is there to say? they’re my kids. they’re back and grown up and making even more terrible decisions. i screamed when i saw Babs in her wheelchair.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf (book, finished 2/10/2019): i tried VERY HARD to like this book, given how much i liked Brief History of Seven Killings, but it just...didn’t click for me. which honestly is fine, since i don’t think it was made for me either.

Dragon Age (3 games, finished 2/28/2019): i feel like there’s always a part of me that’s going to think of this series as “the other one,” but y’know. it’s good. it’s my second playthrough (as a mage for all three) and it’s good! i even went around killing all the dragons in Inquisition because Knight Enchanter was a blast. appreciate the higher queer content vis-a-vis Mass Effect, even though i couldn’t care less about any of the plot. Dragon Age II is the best one, do not @ me

Bitter Root (comic, 4 issues finished 3/1/2019): i love intergenerational dramas and i love stories about vampire slayers, so this was aces. my only complaint is the pacing was a little slow for a story that was going on hiatus after five issues.

Pearl (comic, 6 issues finished 3/3/2019): i know that he’s done great things and grudgingly admit that he’s probably a net positive in the industry but Brian Michael Bendis can suck my entire dick

Lazarus (comic, 5 trades finished 3/ 4/2019): i really thought this was going to clench the position for comic of the year. it’s Rucka doing Highly Relevant Dystopia! it’s a corporate Lannisters AU! it’s a highly personal story about a woman with high privilege and little agency! what more could you want

Immortal Hulk (comic, 2 trades finished 3/ 4/2019): i vibed with the horror feel, but i don’t honestly think it’s THAT exceptional. being set in 616-verse means there was still ton of baggage i didn’t know or care about, since i’ve now swung more to the DC side of things

thank u, next (album, finished 3/5/2019): didn’t Ariana Grande get canceled this year for some reason? oh well, i liked her album

When I Get Home (album, finished 3/13/2019): i vividly remember listening to this for the first time and feeling vaguely disappointed that it wasn’t more like Seat at the Table until i realized that i was covered in goosebumps. still don’t understand the magic but it is Good

The Bird King (book, finished 3/23/2019): pretty much everything you’d expect from a G. Willow Wilson book--spirituality, the female lead finding Themselves and the Answer and learning they’re the same thing, etc etc. i’m slightly resentful that her Wonder Woman was so lackluster while this was so good, but whatevs

Psychodrama (album, finished 3/29/2019): possibly my favorite album of the year? dense and emotionally raw in a way i really appreciate. Dave has a Mercury and he’s younger than me

Mass Effect (4 games, finished 4/7/2019): wow guys did you know that Mass Effect is good! it is. all of it is actually, even the Mass Effect 3 ending, another controversial finale to a big franchise that i will obstinately defend. even Andromeda, which isn’t AS good as the trilogy but still has a lot of heart. all its bugs have been exhaustively patched since launch anyway

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (TV, 4 seasons finished 5/13/2019): i’m...still kind of mad about this finale, but can’t exactly deny that this show is one of the best things to ever happen to me, or television probably. i didn’t even mind new!Greg that much! tho he was probably the nail on the coffin of me jumping onto the Nathaniel train.

Knights of the Old Republic/The Old Republic (3 games, finished 7/4/2019): did you guys know that KOTOR II was my first ever video game? i feel like that...explains a lot about me. anyway, the first game is a classic and the second is a deconstructive classic and playing either of them is basically a fun way for me to turn off my brain these days. even the MMO wasn’t as much of slog as i worried it would be. the Imperial Agent storyline had some nice surprises and i dig the general atmosphere of ruthless pragmatism and crushing loneliness.

Wanderers (book, finished 7/13/2019): Chuck Wendig is a very well-intentioned man in dire need of a strict editor. still good tho! some VERY punchy emotional bits and an ending that still leaves me with vague existential terror.

Code Geass (anime, 2 seasons finished 7/20/2019): i feel like this is on the polar opposite of the spectrum as Devilman Crybaby, because i don’t think Geass is GOOD on like, any basis, and i actually find its central moral message kind of abhorrent? but some part of my lizard brain LOVED the High Imperial Family Drama (it’s been a good year for me and Lannister types, hasn’t it? well, with the obvious exception of--never mind), so...yeah. have i discovered the true meaning of guilty pleasure

The Farewell (movie, finished 7/23/2019): how could i not a) watch this and b) love this and c) feel emotionally cold towards this at the same time because the situations depicted were so similar to mine that i ended up feeling kind of alienated

The Nickel Boys (book, finished 8/8/2019): i STILL haven’t read Underground Railroad, but here i am a book late and a dollar short to appreciate Whitehead’s new book. the man’s stylistic versatility is jaw-dropping and i appreciate the plotting in contrast to like, 90% of the litfic out there that’s just “protagonist sad in different milieu”

Durarara (anime, 2 seasons finished 8/31/2019): it’s fucking bonkers and i loved pretty much every second of it? even the second season, where i finally got the BruceNat AU i deserved??? the first anime i’ve seen where everyone was relatively soberly dressed. the answer was love and having feelings and asking your middle school best friend to hurl you like a projectile so you can chop your girlfriend’s head off with a demon katana

Lover (album, finished 9/1/2019): i feel like with all the Discourse surrounding Taylor Swift re: she’s the devil incarnate or re: she’s good, actually the fact that she makes fucking bops gets kind of lost in the conversation. i have no vested interest in her as a person but i liked Lover, even though London Boy was “what if Style but stupid”

Are You Listening (comic, finished 10/2/2019): my actual choice for best comic of the year if i were giving out awards like that. it’s coming of age! it’s grief! it’s queers! it’s trauma! it’s magical realism! it’s cats! it’s expressive gorgeous art! Tillie Walden has an Eisner and she’s younger than me

High School DxD (manga, 2 volumes finished 10/10/2019): i don’t even know how to talk about this series?? i actually kind of came around to the whole “main character is a perv but goes hard for consent” by the end of the second volume, but it’s still...bad. i only can have lingering conflicted feelings about one Japanese adaptation of Christian mythology per year

Ghosteen (album, finished 10/18/2019): much like Immortal Hulk i thought it was fine but over-hyped. it’s Nick Cave doing his Nick Cave ethereal music thing. i still can’t tell what any of the lyrics mean, except Jesus is there sometimes

Watchmen (TV, 2 episodes finished 10/29/2019): i am nOT FUCKING CAUGHT UP so please watch out for spoilers. it is on my high priority list of things to be caught up on tho--i appreciate that the plot is blatantly unsubtle but still manages to give me aneurysms and i appreciate the political overtones just kinda...balances on a razor thin wire and also gives me aneurysms. i wanna say i have no expectations and would be fine if it does a full dive into the horrible bland depths of the both-sides porridge, but i’m sadly a fool who wants to believe in Damon Lindelof

Syllabus/Making Comics (2 comics, finished 12/24/2019): it’s funny--even before Making Comics came out i was like “man i miss Lynda Barry” and then BAM. it’s incredible how her work just makes me feel taken care of, even when we’re wrestling with tough topics or she’s demanding that i draw a Batman in 30 seconds. kudos for immediately shooting to the top of my gift list for my sister also

Allegiance/Choices of One (2 books, finished 12/24/2019): fun and largely inoffensive, but i was honestly hoping for more. the level of Empire apologia going on was too much for me, someone who thinks Mara Jade is the best Star Wars character of all time (still?????? still). it reeked a little of Zahn believing his own hype as the only valid guy in Star Wars Legends of whatever

Aldnoah.Zero (anime, 1 season finished 12/24/2019): turns out i also can only have “trash but my trash” feelings about one Japanese mecha show with higher art pretensions and patriotism verging into jingoism per year, and this one ain’t it. it’s not as good as Code Geass and Code Geass ISN’T GOOD. at least Geass attempted character complexity and moved at enough of a breakneck pace to distract me from its questionable bits. Aldnoah is just...bland, and nothing gets accomplished or revealed in 12 episodes, except the baffling and contradictory motivations of the main bad guy.

Baldur’s Gate (game, unfinished): yet again something i really wanted to like, given *gestures at all the BioWare above*. i think it’s mainly the Seinfeld issue, where it actually predates my own experience with video games and was so formative for the Western RPG genre that what was innovative just comes across as kind of staid now. i didn’t DISLIKE it, and will probably play the sequel since it’s supposed to be more character-driven, but by the time i finished the vanilla campaign i just didn’t have it in me to squint at more tiny avatars on the screen, so the expansions ended up a no-go.

most prominent thing i noticed about this list is that only one 2019 movie made it on the list and ZERO 2019 video games did so. the former i’m okay with because i currently live with two film people with whom i’m happy to tag along to the cinema. the latter bums me out a little more, because there WERE a few things i wanted to play this year, but all of them came out just as my semester was reaching its catastrophic boil, so i had no time. maybe i’ll use my free time after the New Year festivities to catch up on those.

to conclude: this worked out pretty well! i ended up finishing all but one of the things, and only a few were bad enough that i have no interest in seeking out more content. i’ll probably do this again in 2020--we’ll see if the scheduling can withstand a full year of grad school hell

#let's break out a new tag for this since this isn't really meta #conspicuous media consumption

[dread-doughnuts]

So I was thinking about how it’d be fun to look at my collection and see how it’s grown over time. I’ve been collecting skulls for just over two years now, a lot has changed in that time. Please enjoy some pictures and self-reflection.

May 2017: I got the very first piece in my collection, my American black bear. I had just gotten a paycheck, went to my local oddities shop on a whim, and this immediately caught my eye. This was the end of my sophomore year of college, I’d just switched majors, and I really didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life.

September 2017: beginning of my junior year of college, my collection had grown by six (two nature cleaned pieces gifted by a friend, and three purchased by myself, and one birthday gift). Still didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I kept my interest in osteology kind of hidden from people and put the skulls away when people would walk by. My roommates at the time didn’t like me and I was worried if they found my skulls they’d break them or get rid of them.

April 2018: middle of my junior year of college. I moved into my current apartment (alone yay) so this is when my collection really started to grow. I got my first big piece, my zebra, around this time. I had 11 skulls representing 10 species at that point.

September/October 2018: around the beginning of my senior year. Quite honestly I don’t remember exactly when this was taken because I had some serious health issues at that point, last fall is sort of a blur. The health crises sort of made me re-evaluate what I wanted to do with my life and I realized I was unhappy with the “normal” subject I was studying. By now I had 20 skulls representing 20 species.

April 2019: I had 33 skulls (32 on display in this picture) representing 33 species by now, including several large species. By now I’d started to become more open about my skull collection, in large part due to meeting people who are interested in it and being more open about my interest in becoming a forensic anthropologist. Generally the reception to showing off my collection or talking about it has been positive, and even if someone personally has no interest in skulls they can appreciate why I’m interested.

I’d be interested in seeing how other people’s collections have grown over the years so feel free to tag me if you do something similar!

#vulture culture #natural history #osteology #personal collection #animal skull #tw dead animal #ok to rb #ik its a little personal but its ok